Alternative Energy Forums

Hello,

I am very interested in Startech's technology that disintegrates all types of waste (the best is MSW) and produces plasma converted gas which can also be converted to hydrogen or ethanol gas to produce thermal energy.

The equipment is said to be self-energy autonomous, and also produce excess electricity to be sold to the local energy provider.

Before contacting Startech for a possible project, I have to do a little research in this material, because, due to environmental and bureaucratic barriers present in the country where I am residing, I need to know the CONS (disadvantages) of Startech's technology.

-Does Startech's technology produce emissions? How much in comparison to a standard thermal power plant fueled with petroleum and or natural gas?

-Anyone could approx. indicate the price range for Startech's technology? The equipment can be set up for the capacity of 5 tons per day of waste processing, 10 tons, 20 tons, 50 tons, and 100 tons.

-What is the optimal capacity of waste processing per day, for a start-up company? (keeping in mind of gradual expansion of the capacity in the future).

-Are there any better technologies than Startech's technology, in terms of efficiency, greenness, profitability, simplicity (simplicity in the sense of operational simplicity, maintenance simplicity. Startech does not require pre-separation of the wastes for instance, and produces only two by-products)?

-Is it really possible to throw literally any types of waste into Startech's plasma converter, such as plastic, metal, paper, wood, food, clothes, rubber, glass, etc. that constitute municipal solid waste? What about other toxic materials such as the batteries of electronic devices? Does it require expensive and complicate separation process for any waste type impossible to convert?

Thanks for your kind replies.

Well, having had some research, the technology seems to convert any kind of wastes into syngas, which is hyrdogen+carbon monoxide.

the plant with the capacity of about 25 tons per day is appox. price-tagged at 20 million us dollars... which seems far too expensive in terms of economic feasibility.

the company's technology seems to be well-recognized in this new sector, but having investigated on their financial reports published under 10Q (the company is listed), the company is really in bad shape, near bankruptcy and is looking for additional capital investments to survive!!!

they've sold 3-5 machines since 2007, but none of the delivery have occured yet, also due to some contractual litigations with the clients, for delayed instalment payments and breach of supply responsibility, etc...

while the technology is valid, the company's financial situation is putting a serious question to its commercial capacity...

yes it goes back to the general problem of the economic feasibility of all these alternative energy startups, waste-to-energy startups included

personally i think an "alternative energy" needs to be adopted by a large and stable company for it to stand a chance of surviving (e.g. toyota and hybrid cars)