VIDEO - Dong uses Enzymes to Process Mixed MSW for Biogas Production & Material Recycling

A new technology that uses enzymes to treat mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to recover the organic fraction for processing in an anaerobic digestion facility, has been unveiled by Dutch energy utility, Dong Energy. On a tour of the facility this week, WMW got an up close look the demonstration facility, which Dong said has now been operational for 10,000 hours. The demonstration facility is located on the island of Amager, at the Amager Resource Centre just outside Copenhagen’s city centre and adjacent to the Amagerforbraending waste to energy facility currently under construction and made famous for featuring a ski-slope on the roof. According to Dong, the technology, dubbed ‘REnescience’, treats ordinary unsorted MSW and industrial waste similar to MSW using enzymes to convert biodegradable material in waste into liquid biomass (bioliquid). The biodegradable material can thus be separated from the solid and recyclable fractions of the waste, while the bioliquid is said to be highly suitable as feedstock for biogas production with a high biogas yield, enabling either efficient energy production or upgrade to natural gas. The solid fraction can be optimised in the process against specific requirements for high yield fuel Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) production or recycling. International attention Dong said that it is currently in dialogue with several different business partners in Denmark and abroad in order to build a full-scale REnescience plant. "We’re experiencing a growing interest in the Netherlands and the UK, but also in China, the USA and the Middle East, there is an interest and a market potential for this technology," said Thomas Dalsgaard, executive vice president of Dong Energy. However, he also emphasised that he would like the first full-scale plant to be built in Denmark: The company added that together with the municipalities Middelfart, Fredericia and Kolding, it has initiated an analyses of the possibilities of constructing a full-scale plant in the Triangle Region in Denmark, which would be able to handle the waste from up to 170,000 households. For more detail on how the technology works watch WMW’s weekly newscast below. Read More BIG Waste to Energy Ski Slope Under Construction in Copenhagen Construction work has begun on a waste to energy facility which will incorporate a 1500 metre ski slope and blow giant smoke rings over the Danish city of Copenhagen. Babcock & Wilcox Volund to Danish Supply Waste to Energy 'Ski Slope’ Waste to energy technology supplier, Babcock & Wilcox Volund has received its largest single contract from the innovative Amager Bakke project in Copenhagen, which will feature a ski slope on its roof. Waste to Biofuel Enzyme Developer Expands Laboratory in Netherlands Jupiter, Florida based Dyadic International a biotechnology company which develops enzymes for use in bioenergy applications, has completed the expansion of its research laboratory in the Netherlands.