Natural Progression

Since 2012, Renewable Energy from Waste (REW) magazine has brought its readers the latest developments in the waste conversion industry through its magazine and e-newsletters. 

This November, the publisher of REW, the Recycling Today Media Group, is taking its coverage of this developing industry one step further by launching a conference dedicated to waste conversion technologies.

The Renewable Energy from Waste Conference will take place Nov. 18-20 at the West Palm Beach Marriott in West Palm Beach, Fla. Other conferences have covered this industry before, but the REW Conference differentiates itself in many ways. Recycling Today Media Group Publisher James R. Keefe says, “Capturing the resource potential of waste streams is the fastest growing sector of the waste and recycling industry. This is the reason we introduced Renewable Energy from Waste magazine in 2012. It’s also the reason we’re taking the follow-up action in 2013 of introducing this event. We’ll be considering the full breadth of possibilities from energy to the production of building-block chemicals.”

Industry Experience
Through REW’s sister publication, Recycling Today, the Recycling Today Media Group, based in Richfield, Ohio, has been covering the recycling industry for half a century. Gershman, Brickner & Bratton (GBB), Fairfax, Va., has been a longtime ally of the magazine publishing group. The consulting firm has helped the public and private sectors develop solutions to their waste management problems for decades. The Recycling Today Media Group and GBB have joined forces on this conference to plan and deliver programming based on their expertise of what is driving the waste-to-energy and waste-to-fuels industry.

“Through Recycling Today magazine we’ve been examining the markets that create value from industrial and consumer discards for 50 years,” says Keefe. “When we introduced the Renewable Energy from Waste brand, we partnered with GBB, one of the industry’s most respected consultancies and a group that’s been covering this evolution since the early ’70s. This partnership ensures a depth and breadth of coverage and insight you won’t find anywhere else.”

Harvey Gershman, GBB president, says the decision to partner on the conference came naturally. “We thought it would be a good idea to have a conference to bring the magazine to life.”

He adds, “We are going to get the people from the industry who are doing the projects out there to get together and share their experiences and knowledge so that the market can go forward together better.”

Smithers-Apex, a global conference organizer, rounds out the partnership of companies producing the conference.

“The industry needs one place where economic, municipal and corporate experts come together to share their successes and struggles with candor and impartiality,” says Andrew Smaha, conference director for Smithers-Apex. “This event provides one-stop shopping to gain critical insights into the technologies and regulations shaping the industry and to build relationships with the individuals who drive market perceptions and decisions that affect your company.”

Complete Coverage
The REW Conference program includes several sessions that provide an in-depth look at waste conversion technologies, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF), anaerobic digestion (AD), plastics to oil and gasification. The conference also will have panel discussions on project financing, regulations and end user applications.

“The attendees will have a chance to hear directly from project developers and technology providers on what they are doing out there and the status of their offerings,” Gershman says.

“Renewable Energy from Waste 2013 attendees will have the opportunity to discuss formulas to help assess the feasibility of most waste conversation technologies, including startup costs, determining processing/tip fees [and] competition from traditional fuels and financing options,” Smaha adds.

During the opening keynote session Nov. 18, Keefe and Gershman discuss “The Status of Renewable Waste in North America.” Attendees can hear firsthand which companies, projects and technologies are converting waste into energy in North America and how they are progressing.

The keynote session on day two is sure to be a lively discussion. The session, “Pitfalls and Lessons Learned,” looks at why some projects are successful and others are not. Moderated by Mark Riedy, a member of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC, the session includes panelist Mark Hammond of the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Fla. For a complete schedule of sessions, refer to page 114.

Tour Opportunities
It’s not often that the opportunity comes up to visit operational facilities employing waste conversion technologies. The REW Conference has set up exclusive tours of two facilities that are doing just that.

The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County Integrated Waste Management Complex contains a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) waste-to-energy (WTE) facility that processes some 850,000 tons of municipal solid waste per year. It also is currently undergoing an expansion allowing it to increase capacity from the current 2,500 tons per day to more than 5,500 tons per day by 2015.

The Ineos Indian River County BioEnergy Center in Vero Beach, Fla., uses a combination of gasification and fermentation technology to turn different types of waste materials—including municipal solid waste—into advanced biofuels and renewable power.

Both tours are available for an extra fee. The Ineos Indian River County BioEnergy Center tour is open to public-sector attendees only.

Exhibitor Interaction
Approximately 25 technology and equipment companies have tabletop exhibits at the event. Attendees have several opportunities throughout the three-day event to interact with exhibitors. Breakfast, lunch, networking breaks and receptions Nov. 18 and 19 allow attendees to network with each other and with exhibitors.

These exhibitors can help determine the best type and size of equipment needed to process a particular feedstock for use in a specific waste conversion technology.

Exhibiting companies include Apollo Equipment, California Pellet Mill, CP Group, General Kinematics, Lindner America LLC, Machinex, Process Baron, Scott Equipment Co., SSI Shredding Systems, Van Dyk Recycling Solutions and Walker Magnetics.

More information on these companies can be found at www.rewconference.com/sponsorship-exhibit.aspx.

Affordability
Another key distinction of the REW Conference is the cost to attend. As Keefe explains, “We’ve structured our registration packages to be affordable so companies and organizations can send multiple delegates, allowing them to capture greater insights to guide decision making and projects.”

An early bird rate of $549 can be locked in until Oct. 18. After that, the regular rate is $699. A special academic and government rate is offered at $349. The tours are an additional $99.

“Our upcoming event provides a dynamic collection of sessions that will explore technologies, look at the economics of the sector, analyze what’s really working and what’s not,” Keefe says. “It will provide exceptional networking and informal meeting opportunities to allow delegates to gain further insights into this rapidly developing field.”

More information about the conference can be found at www.REW conference.com.

The author is managing editor of Renewable Energy from Waste magazine, a Recycling Today Media Group publication, and can be reached at ksmith@gie.net.