If all the solid waste of 230 million tonnes were burned in waste-to-energy power plants that are 20% efficient,
a) how many kilowatt-hours of electrical energy could be produced in a year? Compare this quantity with the total U.S. electrical energy production of approximately 3.8 trillion kWh annually.
b) what would be the equivalent average electric power output from all these waste burning power plants? how many 1-GW coal-fired plants could they displace