St. Lucie plans to turn garbage into electricity

By Jim Reeder
FORT PIERCE — An Atlanta company has been chosen to design, build and operate a plant using technology that's rarely been applied to disposing of household garbage.
Higher energy prices now make it economical to use St. Lucie County's solid waste to generate electricity, according to Hilburn O. Hillestad, president of Geoplasma LLC in Atlanta.

Plasma arc technology uses electrical discharges similar to lightning to create temperatures so high that solid waste practically vaporizes. Gas produced by the process can turn an electric generator while a solid material is useful in concrete and asphalt paving.

With even bigger piles of garbage in Atlanta, why come to St. Lucie County?

"St. Lucie County runs its own landfill and can enter into a contract," Hillestad said. "Other local governments have long-term contracts with private companies to operate their landfills."

Two plants in Japan are the only ones known to use plasma arcs to convert household garbage into electricity.

County Commissioner Chris Craft said Solid Waste Manager Leo Cordeiro and assistant Ron Roberts learned about the technology.

"They've been researching for four or five years and contacted Geoplasma," Craft said.
Several years ago Cordeiro and Roberts persuaded commissioners to build a plant to compress garbage into bales, reducing the volume that goes into the landfill.

That project has attracted visitors from China, South America and other areas.

Commissioners told their staff Tuesday to start contract negotiations with Geoplasma, a process that could take six months. A plant could be in operation two years later, officials said.

Geoplasma proposes to design, build and operate the plant using money paid by haulers to dump their loads at the landfill and revenue from selling electricity.

About 120 pounds of coke, a form of coal, will be used daily to help distribute the heat and act as a catalyst in the gasification process.

Florida Power & Light Co. wanted to bring millions of tons of coal to burn in a generating plant. That plan was rejected unanimously by commissioners.