Biopower and Waste-to-Energy Solutions
NREL's biopower and waste-to-energy (WTE) expertise helps federal agencies, industry, communities, and military installations on projects that identify and implement biopower and WTE technologies and strategies that best meet their needs. NREL's biopower and WTE capabilities are among the ways that the laboratory advances implementation of market-ready technologies.
Expertise and Knowledge
NREL biopower and WTE experts deliver strategies to deploy the most technically and economically viable systems. Our specialties include:
- Modeling and assessments of power projects using biomass and WTE
- Combined heat and power
- Biomass resource assessments
- Project economics evaluations
- Project feasibility studies
- Biomass technology assessments.
Biopower Project Examples
Examples of NREL's biopower and WTE projects demonstrate novel and state-of-the-art approaches to meet customer performance, cost, and energy goals.
Fort Bliss Hybrid Power Generation Facility
NREL proposed a hybrid power generation facility to contribute to Fort Bliss' goal of energy self-sufficiency by 2015 as part of its overall net zero initiative. In partnership with the City of El Paso, Texas, and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program, NREL identified a hybrid system solution that combines WTE and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies. If the project is approved for development, up to 3,300 tons per day of municipal solid waste from El Paso would be used to generate up to 90 megawatts (MW) of base load power. The CSP component could potentially contribute an additional 30 MW to 40 MW, resulting in up to 130 MW of peak power to assist during peak load periods.
Fort Irwin WTE Facility
NREL evaluated advanced conversion technologies, such as gasification, to deploy a 30-ton-per-day WTE facility at Fort Irwin, California. With Army Environmental Command, NREL visited several sites currently utilizing advance conversion technologies and made recommendations for Fort Irwin's Directorate of Public Works (DPW) to consider. The installation is currently seeking funding to develop this project.
Learn more about NREL's work with federal agencies and military installations.
Featured Tools 
BioEnergy Atlas
Screening tool based on a Google Earth application that allows users to select a location on a map and then estimate potential quantities of biomass generated within a user-defined radius.
Standard Biomass Analytical Procedures
Laboratory analytical procedures (LAPs) for standard biomass analysis.
Biomass Scenario Model (BSM)
A model for developing strategies for the deployment of new technology for converting a wide range of lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks into ethanol.
