Did you ever think that a load of trash could be used to power over 500,000 homes?

Well, thanks to new technology from Atlanta company Geoplasma, a plasma refuse plant in St. Lucie County, Florida is being built to do just that.

The plasma plant, which is expected to open by 2011, will take 1,500 tons of garbage a day and make 60 megawatts of electricity.

How is this done?

1. Trash is heated in a chamber to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Organic components vaporize into gas.
3. Gas and steam are used to generate electrical energy.

Here’s the entire story from Scientific American.

This is a great green process that not only reduces the amount of waste in out landfills, but it also reduces our carbon footprint.

Do you think this is a good idea?