The use of waste derived biofuels (biowastes) has many benefits. A recent publication by the European Union projected the potential of waste derived bioenergy to contribute to prevention of global warming. It concluded that 19 million tons of oil equivalent is available from biomass by 2020, 46% of which would be derived from bio-wastes: MSW, agricultural residues, farm wastes and other biodegradable waste streams.
Landfills generate a by-product known as landfill gas, which is an excellent source of renewable energy. Landfill gas (LFG) can be used either directly by industry or to generate electricity for public consumption. In fact, when handled effectively, this previously ignored resource has a lot to offer. Landfill gas contains approximately 50 percent methane, which makes it an excellent source of energy. If not used as a biofuel methane has a global warming potential of 23 relative to CO2. In other words, one ton of methane produces the same greenhouse gas (GHG) effect as 23 tons of CO2. When methane burns the formula is CH4 + 2O2 = CO2 + 2H2O reducing the greenhouse effect by 23 times, not just the up to 100% of normal biofuel. PhD Frank Keppler and PhD Thomas Rockmann discovered that living plants also produce methane CH4 which is the same as natural gas. The amount is 10 to 100 times greater that dead plants but does not increase global warming because of the carbon cycle.
I'm just wondering if you considered complete/incomplete combustion. When gas is combusted, often it is not burned as efficiently as a chemistry formula dictates, resulting in more C02 & C, rather than the expected H20. I haven't been in chemistry in a while, but I distinctly remember my chem teacher explaining incomplete combustion with various gases. While I agree that bioenergy from waste is a great idea, it might be misleading to say that it is as green as you're saying.
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