NOVELTY - A rural municipality is selected in which an area surrounding the municipality supplies solid waste sufficient to produce fuel gas to generate electricity sufficient to serve the electrical energy needs of all residents of the municipality. A public electric utility is established to serve the rural municipality. A facility for the conversion of the solid waste to fuel gas through anaerobic digestion and pyrolysis/gasification (20), and a facility for the conversion of fuel gas (31,32) to electricity are provided. The electricity is sold at retail rates to the residents of the municipality.    USE - A method for converting rural municipality solid waste to energy. Can also be used for industrial, commercial, or agricultural waste.    ADVANTAGE - Small municipalities can take advantage of existing and potential revenue sources from waste management, provide cost competitive waste management services to the public, and develop its own independent power supply. This would be accomplished within a pollution-reduced environment with reduced landfill use, which prolongs landfill life and the generation of alternative energy which contributes to reduction of greenhouse gases, burning of fossil fuels, and the country's dependence on foreign oil. In cases where area geology complicates landfill development because of the threat of ground water contamination, an environmentally acceptable alternative for waste management is provided. As a result, the method changes the way wastes are managed, provides a boost to the economic development of rural areas in the country, and provides lucrative investments. The growth of landfills in height and area would begin to slow down from decreased use, and the expansion and development of new areas could stop completely in some cases.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The electricity is generated in one of an internal combustion engine with a generator, a mini-turbine, and a fuel cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a flow chart of a process for converting solid waste to energy.    Pyrolysis/gasification (20)    Fuel gas (31,32)    Cleaning process (33)    Recovered heat (36)    Water and heat (37)