It's a Gas(ification) in the Isle of Wight

From Time.com comes news that the Isle of Wight in Great Britain will flick the switch this summer on a $16 million, 2.3-megawatt gasification plant. According to the article, the plant, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, will take in 30,000 tons of trash — or "rubbish," as the Brits would say — a year to provide electricity for 2,000 households.

Of note from the article: "When it comes to trash, Britain, like much of the world, needs help. Its reputation as a green and pleasant land is at risk from the 16.9 million tons of trash it tossed into landfills last year — that's more than any other country in the European Union. The Local Government Association recently warned that despite devoting 109 square miles to burial, Britain may run out of landfill space within nine years."

Also: the Institution of Civil Engineers says that the trash that Britain landfills could provide up to 17 percent of its energy needs.

And finally, to help spread the gasification concept, the plant will feature a visitors' center. Start planning your vacation now.