Energy from waste
Waste contains a lot of energy. Recovering this energy has numerous benefits, both environmental and financial.
Many methods
All societies produce waste that must be dealt with. Biological treatment, gas production and composting can be used to treat a small proportion of our waste. When using waste as a fuel, it is important to follow the waste hierarchy stipulated by the EU waste framework directive and as far as possible to reduce, reuse and recycle prior to energy recovery being an option.
Most comes from wood
Waste from industry and households can vary significantly in content since they include household waste, industrial waste, and sludge. Ordinary household waste mainly consists of wood products, meaning a large proportion of household waste is renewable fuel. Wood is well suited for incineration in plants, generating electricity and producing heat.
The future
The total volume of waste produced increases. To reduce waste, the European Union has introduced legislation designed to increase reclamation and recycling, and to limit dumping – so we can expect a number of new waste-incineration plants to be built throughout Europe.
Waste as share of electricity generation:
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