A company is proposing a project in Plainfield to address Connecticut’s growing trash problem.
Developed by SMART Technology Systems, LLC, the SMART Technology Solution uses sorting as well as waste processing and conversion technologies to transform trash into renewable electricity. The electricity produced by the plant is renewable, as there is a never-ending supply of trash used to produce it. The project is planned to be located on Norwich Road and Black Hill Road in Plainfield.
The plant is designed to process 468,000 tons of trash per year – 9,000 tons per week. It is needed, as Connecticut’s existing landfills have limited capacity. In addition, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority in Hartford closed in 2022, removing 2,000 tons of trash processing capacity per day.
Due to the limited capacity of landfills in Connecticut, many municipalities have been transporting their trash out of state. The cost to do this continues to increase and the capacity of out of state landfills is in question.
In addition, incinerators are currently used in Connecticut to burn trash. These incinerators produce harmful emissions and create additional waste ash for landfills that further stresses landfill capacity.
What kinds of waste would be accepted?
The Plainfield plant would accept all kinds of waste, including recyclables and food waste.
What happens when the waste arrives?
The process of turning trash into energy at the Plainfield plant will begin with the bulk handling system. This system separates recyclable materials as well as organic residue and removes hazardous materials.
How the waste is processed and what is produced
The SMART Technology Solution uses Valmet’s advanced gasification technology to convert prepared refuse derived fuel from the bulk handling system into a clean refined synthetic gas. The gas serves as a low emissions boiler fuel to generate steam for a turbine, which produces renewable electric power.
The bulk handling system directs the organic material to the anaerobic digester, which captures biogas by digestion/fermentation of the organics. The biogas upgrader converts biogas into renewable natural gas, and separates and recovers the methane and carbon dioxide separately and liquifies the carbon dioxide for sale and transportation.
According to SMART Technology Systems, this process significantly reduces air emissions by capturing the carbon dioxide instead of venting it to the atmosphere and produces a renewable product in the process.
What happens to the residuals produced by the plant?
Some of the ash produced by the plant would be recyclable and could be used to make products such as cement. The ash would also be used to cover landfills in an effort to control disease, fires and odors.
Who would get the electricity and gas produced by the plant?
The electricity produced by the plant would go directly into an electrical grid and be sold to Eversource. The gas produced by the plant would be sold to a natural gas company.
Benefits to Connecticut residents
SMART Technology Systems said the plant will increase in-state trash and food waste handling to more than 1,800 tons per day, five days a week.
The plant will help to dispose of a substantial amount of trash. In addition, the plant would convert organic material to a clean renewable gas while having a lower impact on the environment than an incinerator.
The SMART Technology Solution would reduce a significant amount of air pollution while diverting millions of tons of waste from landfills and produce clean electricity year-round.
Bill Corvo, manager at SMART Technology Systems, said the smell and noise will be contained by the plant’s buildings.
“The sound element is completely under control indoors and the aromatics are under control as well,” he said.
Process to get the project built
Corvo said in order for the project to be built, several permits will need to be approved by both the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection as well as the Connecticut Siting Council. SMART Technology Systems also plans to present the project to Plainfield residents sometime in May.
Corvo hopes the permits will be approved later this year, with construction beginning as soon as permitting is complete. He anticipates that construction would take 1.5-2 years.
“We don’t anticipate going operational much before 2028,” Corvo said.
Benefits to Plainfield residents
Corvo said the plant would be located away from Plainfield residents in an effort to not disturb them. In addition, SMART Technology Solutions would pay property taxes from the plant to the Town of Plainfield.
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