Utilization of municipal solid waste from the city of Austin as supplementary fuel for combination firing with coal at the Fayette Electric Power Plant

It is technically and economically feasible to convert refuse collected from municipal and commercial sources into a fuel that could be used in combination with fossil fuels and to recover energy as a by-product. Several commercial processes are available to convert solid waste into a solid fuel which can be fired with coal. Coal hauled from Montana to the Fayette No. 1 power plant in La Grange, Texas, 62 miles from the city of Austin, will be one of the primary sources of energy. This study suggests that a solid fuel be extracted from Austin's solid waste which could be fired in a nine-to-one firing pattern at the power plant. Results from this pattern will be savings in coal, in land requirements, in materials, and in energy recovery. An added benefit will be better solid-waste management and cooperation of two organizations in their common environmental and disposal problems. Although research is needed in understanding some points in the system, it is environmentally, economically, and technically feasible. 18 references.