N-Viro flush with human waste-to-power success

N-Viro International of Toledo, Ohio announced today that testing of its new fuel by Michigan State Unversity suggests it could be appropriate as a coal substitute in coal-based power plants.

The twist: N-Viro's prototype fuel is made from dewatered human and animal waste.

N-Viro says its fuel has physical and chemical characteristics similar to coal, even though it is created from municipal biosolids.

During the test, a blend of coal and biosolids from the East Lansing, Michigan Wastewater Treatment Plant was fired in one boiler. In addition, a blend of animal manure and coal was fired in another boiler.

The maximum heat input from the first blend was 435 (mmBtu/hr) and 430 (mmBtu/hr) for the second, according to the test.

"These BTU values produced suggest that we can competitively use N-Viro Fuel to create electricity in coal-fired power plants," said Timothy Kasmoch, President and CEO of N-Viro International.

Critics of burning municipal sludge have historically maintained that, even after the waste is dried, its heat output is typically poorer than the worst coal commercially available.

Burning municipal sludge as a fuel source has met with limited commercial uptake to date, largely because of the economics of drying and transporting enough of the material to make the investment worthwhile.

There are also concerns about toxic chemicals in household cleaners, as well as industrial oils, solvents and other material dumped into drains, ending up in the atmosphere when burned.