In December of 2006, Cleveland Public Power (CPP) completed a five-year strategic business plan that recommended the diversification of its power supply mix, and recommended the pursuit of local electric generation.
In order to meet the goals of the strategic plan, CPP engaged RNR Consulting to conduct a feasibility study for a Municipal Solid Waste to Energy (MSWE) facility at the City of Cleveland’s Ridge Road Transfer Station. The proposed MSWE Facility would utilize gasification and steam compression technologies obtained through Princeton Environmental Group (“PEG”), Inc., and the Kinsei Sangyo Company and generate electricity. If this technology is viable, CPP would not only meet the goal of diversifying its power supply mix and generate power locally but also utilize a renewable source of energy to generate electricity.

Recommendations from the study included, developing a conceptual layout for facility design, developing a public relations campaign to educate the public on the MSWE facility’s benefits and conducting site visits. Based on these recommendations, Cleveland sent a delegation to Japan and China on a fact-finding trip. The purpose of the trip was to supplement the Feasibility Study findings and further understand the gasification technology by:

• Visiting facilities with strong similarities while identifying the feasibility of the proposed project
• Evaluating the economic impact
• Physically observe the gasification technology

The supplemental Report to the Feasibility Study includes an overview of the Japan and China Trip and details the delegation’s views, concerns and impressions of the Kinsei Gasification Technology. In order to complete the project, RNR Consulting conducted the following tasks:

• Reviewed the MSWE Feasibility Assessment Report
• Conducted Interviews 
• Attended Meetings with MSWE Project Stakeholders
• Developed the Supplement Report which included the following topics:
  • Trip Itinerary 
  • Trip Objectives
  • Kinsei Gasifier Technology
  • Energy Computation formulas
  • Economic Development
  • Environmental Impact of the proposed Kinsei Gasification Technology 
  • Photographs relating to the trip
  • Outcome of the Trip including impressions, concerns and the benefits of the Kinsei Gasification Technology
  • Project Approach and Methodology
  • Conclusions and Recommendations
• Formulated Methodology and Project Approach