Enerkem’s waste-to-energy technology is giving old clothes and sofas a new lease of life as a source of renewable energy
In Edmonton, Canada, something as mundane as municipal waste treatment is attracting worldwide attention. The waste is the same as at municipal waste plants around the world shoes, sofas and other items that can’t be recycled and are destined for landfills or incinerators but the fate that awaits Alberta’s garbage is different: as of this month, it’s being turned into biofuels.
"We use heat and pressure to break down the materials that usually end up in the landfill", explains Vincent Chornet, chief executive of Enerkem, the company behind the technology. "We then turn it into methanol and ethanol. In total, the process from waste to final product takes about four minutes."