Waste-to-energy becoming attractive generation option globally

July 30, 2012 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

New research makes it painfully clear that a valuable source of energy is being wasted. Nearly three-quarters of waste (trash) worldwide ends up in landfills, according to Pike Research.

With many countries facing dramatic population growth, rapid urbanization, rising levels of affluence, and resource scarcity, waste-to-energy (WTE) systems are an attractive technology option.

Over the next 10 years, the more than 800 thermal WTE plants globally are expected to grow rapidly with at least 261 million tons of municipal solid waste converted to base load power and heat, according to Pike. On the high end, Pike predicts that figure could reach 396 million tons annually, the equivalent of 429 terawatt-hours of power.

"Ten years from now, the world's rapidly increasing urban population will generate nearly 3 billion tons of municipal solid waste per year, representing an estimated 240 GW of untapped energy potential," said Pike Senior Research Analyst Mackinnon Lawrence. "The escalation in waste generation presents policy makers with a difficult choice: either expand existing landfill capacity (an unappealing, but low-cost option in many areas) or invest in new waste-to-energy capacity, which can reduce the overall volume of waste that must be dumped."

By 2022, the Asia Pacific region will account for 54 percent of the electricity generated from waste-to-energy systems worldwide, according to Pike.

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