Waste-to-Energy Systems

Abstract

One of our newest resources is common, everyday trash. Basic science tells us that all objects have energy, whether they are trash, scraps, or treasure. Therefore, with the energy situation we are in, many have begun or already had been looking at our newest resource for energy. After all, a British thermal unit (BTU) of trash is the same as a BTU of petroleum. This idea has the potential to make companies a lot of money if they can solve some of the problems associated with turning waste (trash) into clean energy. Clean energy is the crux of the problem. In former times when it was common, open burning of trash was smelly, dirty, and not very efficient. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970 with a mandate to clean up and protect the environment, so open trash burning in dumps in the United States became a thing of the past.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA596730

Entities

People

  • Rebecca C. Wingfield

Organizations

  • United States Army Engineer School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemical Reactions
  • Civil Engineering
  • Combustion
  • Energy Systems
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Environmental Protection
  • European Union
  • Fuels
  • Generators
  • Heat Energy
  • International Organizations
  • Materials
  • Standards
  • United States
  • Waste Disposal Facilities
  • Waste Management

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.