Potential Greenhouse Gas Mitigation for Converting High Moisture Food Waste into Bio-Coal from Hydrothermal Carbonisation in India, Europe and China

Abstract

Hydrothermal carbonisation is a promising technology for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation through landfill avoidance and power generation, as it can convert high-moisture wastes into bio-coal which can be used for coal substitution. The GHG mitigation potential associated with landfill avoidance of high-moisture food waste (FW) generated in India, China and the EU was calculated and the potential for coal substitution to replace either grid energy, hard coal, or lignite consumption were determined. Different HTC processing conditions were evaluated including temperature and residence times and their effect on energy consumption and energy recovery. The greatest mitigation potential was observed at lower HTC temperatures and shorter residence times with the bio-coal replacing lignite. China had the greatest total mitigation potential (194 MT CO2 eq), whereas India had the greatest mitigation per kg of FW (1.2 kgCO2/kg FW). Significant proportions of overall lignite consumption could be substituted in India (12.4%) and China (7.1%), while sizable levels of methane could be mitigated in India (12.5%), China (19.3%), and the EU (7.2%). GHG savings from conversion of high-moisture FW into bio-coal and subsequent coal replacement has significant potential for reducing total GHG emissions and represents in India (3%), China (2.4%), and the EU (1%).