Thermal Conversion is not an immediate solution to our energy problems but it does look promising:

A Long Island entrepeneur's dream of building hundreds of garbage- to-oil factories is inching closer to reality, as a prototype plant in this rural town has begun selling more than 100 gallons of fuel oil per day made from scraps of slaughtered turkeys.

With the new $31-million plant now operating smoothly and generating a positive cash flow, Brian Appel is shifting his attention to building new oil- making plants that would handle other materials.

I must admit that I doubt if the quantity of oil described in the article is correct. Perhaps they meant 100 barrels of oil. Even at that kind of volume, I find it difficult to believe they are making a true profit. The plant employs 80 people, although only 25 of them work for Changing World. The cost to build the plant ($31 million) also has to be figured into the equation. They must be including payments for waste disposal from the turkey plant.

Don't take me wrong - I'm not complaining about the progress. The ability to convert waste into fuel is a fantastic concept because it solves two problems at once. They just need to work on the efficiency issue.