The results of a comparative evaluation of the track record of more than 300 waste processes from more than 25 countries has been announced by consultants Juniper. They found widely varying performance in key parameters, that affect the 'deliverability' and 'bankability' of AD, plasma, MBT, gasification and incineration processes.

The company has assigned ratings to each supplier based on their resources, expertise, and track record as well as categorising processes from 'conceptual' to 'fully proven'. Joe Schwager, Managing Director of Juniper, said that "our aim, in conducting this analysis and publishing today a series of related reports, is to provide an objective independent assessment of the robustness of individual processes to help public and private sector organisations select potential candidate processes for their projects".

Juniper's new analysis is encouraging for project developers and municipalities struggling to select technology solutions that are proven, practical and robust solutions: In 168 cases Juniper rated, the process was classed as either 'proven' or 'fully proven' for a particular application, showing that there are plenty of credible technology providers from which a shortlist can be derived. But, put another way, 43% of the processes being promoted as modern solutions for waste management have a more limited track record - and a quarter of these have not yet been operationally demonstrated.

A geographical analysis of the companies given Juniper's highest 4 and 5 star rating shows the dominance of particular countries in supplying proven technologies with a long track record: 5 of the 15 companies that gain a 5 star rating from Juniper are German (5 star is the highest JuniperRating, indicating that a process company has been classified as a world leader in a particular field), 3 are from Japan and 3 from Scandinavia.

The industry in countries like the USA, UK and Canada has a much more limited track record: only 6 of the more than 100 companies from these countries received a 4 star rating (and none got 5 stars) despite the fact that they have more process suppliers than most other countries, illustrating the embryonic nature of their process technology industries. Juniper also announced today the publication of five new 'RatingsReports' that summarise this analysis.

These reports, which will be updated frequently, are available for download from:

http://www.WasteReports.com

Two applications covered by the new Juniper reports are attracting a lot of interest at the present time:

§ using anaerobic digestion for biogas applications

§ using plasma systems to manage household waste.


In plasma processing, Juniper's ratings make it clear that, for the time being, these systems still have to show that they are a viable approach to managing household waste. None of the 39 companies were given an unqualified 'proven' or 'fully proven' classification for MSW applications, though some plasma suppliers are given strong ratings for particular hazardous waste streams. In the biogas sector the situation is more complex.

Juniper's assessment shows that there are many well proven systems available from credible suppliers but the diverse range of processes, the scale at which they are implemented and the variety of types of feedstock (from energy crops through to slaughterhouse waste and farmyard manures) make it essential to match the process carefully to the particular application. "Our analysis highlights the varying level of expertise amongst the 62 companies included in the new AD ratings report and the varying track record of reference projects around the world," commented Dr Egan Archer, the Principal Technology Specialist at Juniper.

Juniper's analysis also provides graphic evidence of why large-scale incineration is still the preferred solution adopted by the majority of decision maker