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Making power from waste

We ask whether waste-to-power technologies could help prevent climate change.

We ask whether waste-to-power technologies could help prevent climate change. Richard Kirkman is technical director of Veolia, and shows us round the South East London Combined Heat and Power plant, which burns waste to generate electricity. Professor Patricia Thornley of the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute at Aston University explains how such technologies can impact the environment. Tim Yeo is a former British environment minister turned chair of Waste2Tricity, which turns plastic waste into synthetic gas, and explains how their technology works. And we consider the prospects for a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuels for aviation with John Holland-Kay, chief executive of London's Heathrow Airport. Also in the programme, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ economics correspondent Andrew Walker fact checks the economic elements of US president Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Plus we ask whether Mr Trump is right to claim a "great American comeback" with Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management in California, and Kelsey Johnson, president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota.

(Picture: South East London Combined Heat and Power plant. Picture credit: Veolia.)

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27 minutes

Last on

Wed 5 Feb 2020 15:32GMT

Broadcast

  • Wed 5 Feb 2020 15:32GMT