The student design team will be completing a comprehensive analysis of MSW as a feedstock for a renewable energy system and estimate net energy yield, costs, benefits, challenges, and alternatives.  Included in the analysis should be a consideration of the business opportunities of the operation with respect to expansion of waste source material, as well as for markets for syn gas and solid waste slag. All applicable federal, state, and local requirements should be considered throughout the design process.

Senior Design Team update:

The GM-Marion Team is working with Marion Utilities to explore alternatives to landfilling. There is a heavy emphasis on waste to energy solutions, namely gasification and incineration. The utility company has also expressed interest in partnering with Marion Stamping, a local GM manufacturing facility. The goal of this partnership would be to increase the amount of volume being used to generate electricity as well as to find someone to consume the energy generated in the process. This is an exciting project as gasification is an emerging technology in the States and is considered cleaner and more efficient than common waste to energy solutions.