SGC and SMO plan to install 100 MW of solar waste-to-energy capacity in Australia

SGC of Australia and SMO, a French company specializing in waste gasification, have collectively declared their intention to establish 50 solar-powered systems that convert waste into energy across Australia. Their objective is to install systems with a total capacity of 100 MW within the forthcoming three years and to expand their operations to 1 GW over the next five years.

 In a shared statement, they revealed, “Employing a sophisticated plasma gasification technique, this technology converts various types of waste – ranging from municipal to industrial waste and biomass – into superior syngas, while also effectively capturing carbon emissions.

This method reduces dependency on landfills and produces renewable energy in different forms like electricity, green hydrogen, and ammonia, aiding the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The solar-powered solution by SMO begins with the pre-treatment of waste, separating out materials unfit for processing. The remaining waste is then minced, and a plasma gasifier applies intense heat from plasma torches to decompose the waste into fundamental molecules. This generates syngas – composed of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and traces of carbon dioxide – which is subsequently cleansed.

The companies explained, “The purified syngas, depending on the setup, can be utilized in multiple ways to produce electricity. It can fuel engines, turbines, or fuel cells, transforming the syngas’s chemical energy into electric power.”

SGC has indicated that this initiative is anticipated to generate over 300 jobs within Australia and could provide clean electricity to upwards of 1,500,000 homes. Achieving a capacity of 1 GW, the companies assert that they could reduce CO2 emissions by over 5 million tons annually.

source: SMO