WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) (NYSE: BWC) today hosted Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-FL-18) for a tour of the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County Renewable Energy Park, including the country’s first new waste-to-energy (WtE) plant to be built since 1995. As a reliable and non-intermittent source of renewable energy with the most modern environmental control equipment, WtE technology is poised to be a much larger part of America’s energy mix, particularly in the context of the EPA’s new rules on carbon emissions from power plants.
The visit comes as part of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Congressional Dialogue, an effort to engage members of Congress on manufacturing issues. Prior to the tour, Congressman Murphy participated in a roundtable discussion with local manufacturers on the impact of federal legislation.
“I thank Babcock & Wilcox and the National Association of Manufacturers for the opportunity to tour this waste-to-energy plant as part of my continuing jobs tour and hear from local manufacturers about the issues that affect every aspect of their businesses,” said Rep. Murphy. “Our manufacturing base is the most advanced in the world, and it’s vital that the policies put in place by Congress help our manufacturing sector create jobs and grow our economy. We simply cannot afford for these businesses to be burdened by unnecessary regulations and an unfair tax code that stands in the way of increased exports and competitiveness.”
NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons also commented on the importance of federal government support for manufacturers.
“In these uncertain economic times, manufacturers in Florida are fighting to remain competitive in the global marketplace,” Timmons said. “Today’s forum was an opportunity for manufacturers to talk with Rep. Murphy about the issues that impact their businesses and their ability to hire, the significant regulatory burden and the burdensome tax code.”
Marshall Cohen, Vice President for Government Affairs and Communications for B&W, noted, “B&W’s next generation waste-to-energy technology offers communities across the country a win-win by reducing their landfill usage and generating clean, renewable power. We appreciate Rep. Murphy’s interest in this exciting technology and his support for Florida’s manufacturers.”
At capacity, the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County’s Renewable Energy Park is designed to process more than 1.7 million tons of solid waste per year and generate enough renewable energy to power more than 85,000 homes. It will employ more than 200 full-time workers.
Additionally, by employing B&W’s cutting-edge technology – including the advanced B&W Vølund DynaGrate®, a selective catalytic reduction system, a dry flue gas desulfurization unit and other equipment – the new facility is designed to have high combustion efficiency and eliminate 90 to 99 percent of acid gas, heavy metal and dioxins emissions.
The additional facility also is projected to reduce the amount of waste currently being land-filled by up to 85 percent, which could delay the need to develop a new landfill in Palm Beach County for many years while also significantly reducing emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane, which is created by decomposing landfill waste.
B&W and its consortium partner, KBR Inc., are scheduled to complete Renewable Energy Facility #2 in mid-2015. Once open, it will be the second WtE plant designed, built and operated by B&W at the Renewable Energy Park
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), WtE is a "clean, reliable, renewable source of energy," for generating electricity. There are 86 WtE facilities across the U.S. As communities across the country focus on reducing their carbon emissions, WtE can be an increasingly important part of America’s energy mix.
About B&W
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a leader in clean energy technology and services, primarily for the nuclear, fossil and renewable power markets, as well as a premier advanced technology and mission critical defense contractor. B&W has locations worldwide and employs approximately 11,000 people, in addition to joint venture employees located at projects throughout the U.S. Learn more at www.babcock.com.