Episode 53 | Dixie Diesel | Neowaste
Waste-to-energy holds exciting opportunities. What many may see as pollution, a growing number of entrepreneurs see as free fuel.
I was interested to learn more when I saw this article about Neowaste, an Alabama startup converting industrial automotive waste into low-sulfur diesel. Their co-founder and CEO, Jessica Findley, is a political science major who found her way into this field from an earlier career in economic development grant writing.
The world is full of plastic. There's approximately 6 billion metric tons of plastic that hasn't been recycled. Neowaste says they can make up to 250 gallons of diesel from a tonne of plastic, which by my math could fuel the earth for 8-10 years!
Neowaste incorporates a technology called "Polycrack," similar to pyrolysis. However, temperatures are less than 400°C as opposed to over 600°C for other technologies like this, and there is a much higher moisture tolerance. Many technologies require significant drying up front.
Neowaste has plans to begin Pilot operations in early 2019 with Commercial Operations on a full-sized Polycrack machine later this year. It is receiving its supply from a recycling company, mainly automotive plastic. Alabama is the 4th largest automobile manufacturer in the nation.
The Polycrack process also produces a fine carbon that can be sold as a briquette for solid fuel, industrial cleaning or water filtration.
Jessica says selling fuel had been a major impediment and required a lot of on-the-job learning. They currently have a letter of interest with Sunoco. One major advantage Neowaste has is that they are able to produce a gallon of diesel for under a dollar. That is less than conventional production from, say, an oil well. This provides them the margin to pay for feedstock, transport fuel, and sell under the Platts pricing.
Jessica says the key for their business is to "Focus on a specific problem with specific application of the technology for a specific customer."
We wish them the best.
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