Initiatives
Fourth State Energy (FSE) is an international environmental solutions development company advancing alternative solutions to sustainably manage solid waste and hazardous waste resources, reduce their impact on climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and produce clean renewable energy from waste. Noted below are locations where FSE is actively engaged with stakeholders exploring program solutions and options or responding to requests for proposals. Interested parties who would like to discuss our process, concepts, technologies, and innovations should contact us directly.
Learning More
World Bank Projections
%
increase in urban solid waste – with developing countries facing the greatest challenge.
Projected increase from 1.3B tons/year to 2.2B tons/year of garbage by 2025.
Projected cost increase from $205 – $375 billion.
%
of municipal solid waste is transported to landfills, where it sits, decays, and releases a plethora of environmental pollutants.
1 billion tons of MSW = approximately 24.5 quadrillion Btu of energy.
Enough heat to meet about
%
of global annual electricity consumption.
European Economic Community Study Findings
If all municipal solid waste was diverted from landfills in 2011 to waste-to-energy facilities, it would generate enough electricity to supply
households.
If just the non-recycled plastics in MSW were to be source-separated and converted through today’s plastics-to-oil technologies into fuel oil, it would be enough to fuel
cars.
Landfill Greenhouse Gas Implications
The FSE program model avoids materials being collected in one container, being dumped into a landfill to rot and decay, and becoming a source of the most harmful GHG, methane, for 40 to 65 years while they decompose.
Methane is
times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its global warming potential.
Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory notes that in 2015, approximately 30 Megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (eCO2) were generated at Canadian landfills, of which 19 Mt eCO2 were ultimately emitted.
Emissions from Canadian landfills account for
%
of national methane emissions.
Approximately 11 Mt eCO2generated at landfills were captured – of which 5.4 Mt eCO2were combusted and 5.6 Mt eCO2were utilized for various energy purposes.
Canada
FSE’s professional contacts community is exploring interest on the part of numerous municipalities across the country to develop program and project solutions to replace active landfill operations. These include locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick. FSE’s sister company, Nova Waste Solutions Inc., is actively progressing projects in Nova Scotia.
Ontario
FSE was one of 36 respondents to Ottawa’s request for proposals (RFP) for an active landfill alternative option for solid waste management. This was a follow-up action on the part of the Ottawa council to determine options going forward to meet operational and strategic objectives. We remain hopeful that Ottawa will go to the next step and initiate a project to develop an alternative option to landfilling in the near term.
Nunavut
FSE, in partnership with project partners and an innovative containerized hydroponics food growing operator developed a circular economy solution for the isolated town of Iqaluit. The proposal included the development of a waste processing recycling and renewable energy facility to replace their environmentally impactful landfill operations. This clean renewable energy facility would then power and provide the energy for a containerized hydroponics growing operation, which would supply heathy green foods to the community. Additional excess heat and energy could provide less costly power and heat to their community centre, school, and hospital. This project proposal has been presented to local government and federal members of parliament for consideration.
Newfoundland and Labrador
FSE responded to a regional integrated solid waste management solution project proposal request of the government of Labrador. The government was looking for an innovative solution to sustainably manage waste from the many disparate communities along the ferry route which services the region. FSE developed a containerized solution that would use the ferry system to consolidate regional waste and process it into renewable energy at a strategic location to best utilize the clean renewable energy that would be produced. FSE was not selected in the process, but remains hopeful that the idea, which has merit for many regional and isolated communities both in the North and the Caribbean, will eventually get implemented.
Cornerbrook, NFLD – FSE engaged with the local political leadership in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland as well as region stakeholders to explore an alternative to the consolidated central landfill operation that was being advanced for NFLD. This project work and program solution for the Cornerbrook area remains on the books as a viable and economically feasible alternative to the centralized landfill plan should that program falter.
Caribbean
The Caribbean has long been a region for FSE and we remain very active throughout the region. Over the years, FSE has developed highly productive and engaged relationships with the Canadian Trade Commissioners Service through Foreign Affairs. Whether through sponsored conferences or directed outreach, the trade commissioners provide critical introductions and points of contact with key government representatives, NGO contacts, and decision-making stakeholders. These connections enable FSE to effectively engage and educate individuals in decision-making roles about the opportunity the FSE fully integrated environmentally sustainable solid waste and hazardous waste program solutions represent as an alternative to existing, negatively impacting active landfills.
Dominican Republic
FSE is working through the Trade Commissioner’s office and stakeholders on advancing a studies proposal.
Cuba
FSE participated in the Cuban international trade conference in 2018 and subsequently has been actively engaged with the Cuban Ambassador to Canada in Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy staff in Cuba, and national stakeholders on developing program solutions for the country.
Puerto Rico
FSE is engaged with governmental representatives on exploring program solutions.
Bahamas
FSE participated in the Post-Dorian hurricane recovery symposium in January 2020 and is working with local and international stakeholders on recovery options and program solutions.
Jamaica
FSE participated in the Jamaican infrastructure development conference in January 2020 and is continuing discussions with decision makers on program options and solutions.
Bermuda
FSE is engaged with the trade commissioner’s office given Bermuda’s interest in both a hazardous waste facility to process their current incineration ashes, and the development of a new facility given the local unhappiness with their incineration plant and its outcomes.
US Virgin Islands
FSE is engaged with representatives from the Office of the Governor exploring a program solution development model.
Barbados
FSE is actively engaged with local government and key regional stakeholders on developing a program solution and requirements proposal for the island, which is currently dealing with negative outcomes from their existing landfill operations.
Saint Lucia
FSE is engaged with local representatives and stakeholders on a hazardous waste solution for the island and exploring an integrated program solution.
Tobago
FSE has a past history with Tobago House of Assembly and developed a detailed program solution for the island’s solid waste program. The advancement of that solution was put on hold following a governmental change.
Latin America
Guyana
FSE is actively engaged with local government representatives on developing a WTE program solution.
Colombia
FSE is engaged with local stakeholders on developing program solutions and options for various regional districts looking to develop WTE projects.
Guatemala
FSE is engaged with the Canadian Trade Commissioner on examining program solutions options with regional stakeholders.
Asia
FSE spent the fall of 2019 in Hong Kong and Asia exploring opportunities and establishing relationships with local consultants and professional project development firms and partners. Asia represents a very active and financially viable region in which to advance hazardous waste and small WTE projects that can manage local medical waste and other contaminated materials.
West Java
FSE is actively engaged with local government representatives on developing program solution options for the region to achieve their strategic waste management objectives.
Hong Kong
FSE presented program solution options to local government representatives in the fall of 2019. There was interest in the hazardous waste processing options for their planned incineration programs. FSE local representatives remain engaged with local government and stakeholders.
Macau
The island of Macau represents a unique operational environment. FSE local representatives remain engaged with stakeholders for advancing project discussions.
GBA China
FSE is engaged with local stakeholders on exploring a pilot project to demonstrate the innovative Canadian processing facility design and outcomes.
Singapore
FSE is engaged with local government representatives and the senior Canadian Trade Commissioner on advancing program solution options.