Hydrogen as a transportation fuel produced from thermal gasification of municipal solid waste: an examination of two integrated technologies

Innovative technologies are required to offset increasing consumption and d eclining stocks of non-renewable resources. This study examines a possible enhancement of waste management and transportation by integrating two emerg ing technologies: municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification and fuel cell ve hicles (FCVs), by fueling FCVs with hydrogen produced from gasified MSW. Ma terial and energy flows were modeled in four MSW management scenarios (inci neration, landfill, gasification, gasification with recycling) and four tra nsportation scenarios (hybrid gasoline-electric, methanol FCVs, hydrogen FC Vs using hydrogen from natural gas or municipal solid waste). Technological performance deemed feasible within 2010-2020 was assumed. Greenhouse gas e missions and non-renewable energy use were used to assess overall system pe rformance. Gasification with hydrogen production performs as efficiently as incineration, but is advantageous compared to landfilling. Taking into acc ount additional environmental criteria, the model suggests that hydrogen fr om MSW gasification for FCVs may provide benefits over conventional MSW tre atment and transportation systems. (C) 2001 International Association for H ydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.