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Background to the Study
It is estimated that, by 2050, 3.75 billion tons1 of waste will be produced annually and 11.1%
of it will be incinerated (The World Bank). Globally, it is estimated that 1.76 billion tons1 of
CO2 were generated from solid waste treatment and disposal in 2016, representing 5% of the
total global CO2 emissions (The World Bank). In waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities, the waste
incineration of 1 ton of municipal solid waste (MSW) is associated with the release of about
0.7-1.7 tons1 of CO2. (Zero Waste Europe, 2019). The CO2 content in the flue gas emitted
from WtE facilities is approximately 6-12%, depending on the feedstock and treatment process
(Zehenhoven R. and Kilpinen P). IEAGHG identified the need to explore the implementation
of CCUS (Carbon Capture & Utilization/Storage) as a CO2 emissions mitigation pathway in
the WtE sector under different regional scenarios.
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Key Messages
- Approximately, there are 2,100 WtE facilities in 42 countries. They have a treatment capacity of around 360 million tons of waste per year. Asia and Europe lead the WtE sector.
- Globally, the WtE feedstock typically reflects the income level of the region. The
higher the income the lower the percentage of organic matter.
- WtE plants are too small to generate large economies of scale. The specific costs of the
adopted technologies are rather high, leading to very capital-intensive facilities.
- Consequently, the continuity of operation and revenue from both selling electricity and
waste treatment fee are key considerations.
- Key factors with a significant influence on the integration of the CO2 capture system
with the WtE plant are: the location; the type of CO2 capture system; the feedstock; the incineration technology; and the installation scenario (i.e. greenfield or retrofit).
- Amine-based chemical absorption is the preferred capture technology on current WtE
facilities. This option, for partial and full CO2 capture, has been considered for the seven
projects identified in this study, based in The Netherlands, Norway, and Japan.
- The first concern with the use of an amine-based chemical absorption system is the flue
gas composition, as amines can be easily degraded in the presence of impurities. For
the integration of this CO2 capture system in WtE facilities the flue gas requires pre-
treatment. The chemical handling, spatial integration, and energy supply to cover the
energy requirement for the CO2 capture system are also important factors to consider.
- Decisions on the integration of a CO2 capture system with a WtE facility, or a district
heating scheme (if existing), and with the transport, and storage or use of the CO2, will
depend on the specific location or region amongst other techno-economic aspects.
- In this study, ten regions were selected for the analysis of the market potential of CCUS
in the WtE sector: South Africa, USA, India, Japan, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands,
UK, Norway, and Australia (see Table 6).
- A review of the regulatory frameworks in these countries was carried out to highlight
and compare different schemes. European Emission Level Values (ELVs) at the WtE
stack were identified as more stringent compared to the USA (California) and Japan,
while Australia and South Africa are similar. Indian thresholds are slightly higher
compared to the EU countries.
- These ten regions were analysed under eight proposed criteria (opportunity for
CCS/CCU; possible integration with district heating; local CO2 emission factors for
power and heat generation; CCUS regulation and carbon pricing mechanisms for WtE;
diffusion of WtE; social acceptance of WtE and CCUS; WtE regulation: NOx and SOx
emission limits; and average WtE plant size). Under these criteria, the USA, The
Netherlands, and Germany showed the highest relative market potential, while Japan,
Norway, and UK also have relatively good capability. India presented the lowest
relative potential due to the lack of environmental policies related to CO2 capture in
WtE facilities.
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