Did you know that globally we create over 2 billion tons of garbage per year? Vast amounts of trash end up in our rivers, oceans, landfills, and elsewhere. In the United States, nearly 300 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) was generated in 2018 alone. This breaks out to roughly 5 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day. Yet Michael Itaev believes that with gasification we can turn this waste into a renewable, sustainable energy resource.

“With gasification we can take the municipal waste and turn it into an energy resource,” Michael Itaev points out. “Demand for electricity is rising, we’re creating more waste, and landfills are overflowing. Something has to give. Let’s work on two problems at once by turning trash into energy.”

Nearly 12 percent of municipal solid waste in the United States ultimately gets converted into energy. However, with roughly half of the municipal solid waste ending up in landfills, Michael Itaev believes more waste can be converted in the US and in other countries.

“Gasification is already proving effective in the United States, although we can do more, especially if we want to lead the world in renewable energy production,” Michael Itaev says. “Also, gasification has a lot to offer for middle and lower-income countries. The right facilities can reduce waste, ease pressure on landfills and the environment, and assist strained power grids.”

Gasification may also reduce air pollution, contributing to better health and visibility. Michael Itaev also argues that sustainability, including managing carbon output, is now vital, and gasification can play an important role.

Michael Itaev On Sustainable Gasification Projects

Most scientists agree that global warming is a serious concern for the global ecosystem and humanity. Sustainable energy production is becoming a priority for countries and companies. Michael Itaev believes gasification is one important renewable and sustainable energy source that could help mitigate global warming.

“Not all gasification projects are created equal and some will produce greenhouse gases,” Michael Itaev claims. “However, the projects we work mitigate CO2 production. For example, we can use a Photo Bio-Reactor System to convert CO2 into protein plus oxygen from algae or bacteria.”

The long-term goal for many energy producers is to become carbon neutral. Michael Itaev currently works on projects that have a potential carbon footprint equaling to zero or less, meaning they pull more CO2 from the atmosphere than they produce.

“A lot of companies are already working on gasification projects. Unfortunately, the technology used by some companies is outdated and the overall methodology is unsustainable,” Michael Itaev says. “Our goal is to increase efficiency and secure a zero or net-negative carbon footprint. And with the right implementations, we can achieve that.”

The old saying goes, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. With gasification, municipal solid waste can be turned into energy, powering tomorrow’s cities.