The winter months can put a tremendous strain on power grids. And just as our need for heat starts to rise, so does the waste we generate (just consider the food and gift packaging we go through during the winter holidays).
Although these two occurrences may seem unrelated, some communities have found a common solution for both: using non-recycled plastics and other household waste to power our homes, businesses or even vehicles.
In communities with waste-to-energy facilities, non-recycled wastes are collected (as garbage) and sent to facilities that convert these resources into energy, usually in the form of electricity. Some communities are even investing in facilities that can convert used plastics into crude oil.
Recovering energy from plastics and other waste can be particularly useful during cold winter months, filling gaps when other renewable energies might slump due to adverse weather conditions.
For instance, solar panels work on light, not heat, so shorter daylight hours and cloudy conditions are less than optimal for producing energy. Similarly, snow on solar panels and ice on wind-powered turbine blades can decrease output from these energy sources.
Recovering energy from waste enables communities to tap into an abundant source of alternative energy. Supply is collected consistently and made available to produce energy come rain or shine. And energy recovery helps to divert valuable resources from landfills.
We hope more communities will resolve to consider their energy recovery options in the New Year.
Photo via newsnewmexico.blogspot.com
