The Big Idea

What is the Big Idea? It is simply the concept that, in a modern world, we can be self-sufficient for our energy needs (electric power, heat etc., but excluding vehicle fuel) by making full use of our combustible domestic, agricultural and forestry wastes.

The idea is particularly attractive in island situations, where fuel for energy, principally oil, has to be entirely shipped in. But the principle does, of course, apply equally to areas of mainland, such as towns, cities, counties, and even whole countries.

There is sufficient domestic combustible waste (which includes paper, cardboard and packaging) readily available in city areas to run combined heat and power (CHP) plants economically, and this idea is steadily attracting interest. However, for town situations and rural areas, there is a smaller concentration of waste, and it is currently more economical to simply land-fill the waste, and continue to burn mineral fuels such as gas, oil and coal. However, land-fill sites are rapidly becoming full to capacity, they are untidy, and are a constant source of leaking methane (one of the worst of the 'greenhouse' gases).

Fortunately, there is now a development which can make use of most of the domestic waste stream (excluding rubble, metal and certain plastics) to make a first-rate solid fuel, which can be burned locally in stoves, conveyed economically to power stations, or exported. PLC Products manufacture a compactor densifier which is capable of producing high energy fuel blocks which have more energy per tonne than coal, are clean to handle, easily transported on pallets, and produce only a small quantity of ash.

The machines will also densify wood chip, sawdust, and all agricultural wastes, including straw, to make excellent solid fuel.

For further details of our equipment, please use the link at the bottom of this page to tour the rest of this site, or download the printable version of our brochure by clicking the link at the left of this page.