The efficiency of existing waste incineration plants in the European Union in terms of electricity production is “appallingly low”, laments the NGO Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) in a report published on Tuesday 24 January.
This report estimates the efficiencies of energy from waste for those Member States that account for a significant share of incinerated waste in the EU (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden).
It indicates that ‘typical’ efficiencies are around 20% in the best cases, compared to figures of around 35% for coal-fired power generation and 55% for combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants.
The NGO also criticises the fact that the energy efficiency threshold (R1) that must be met for a waste incineration plant to qualify as ‘recovery’ - a plant whose main purpose is to produce energy by using waste instead of other materials - “is far too easily met (...), with efficiencies as low as 16.5% net efficiency”. This explains why 98% of all incinerated municipal waste in the EU is now treated in so-called ‘recovery’ facilities, the report points out.
Therefore, ZWE calls on the EU to reclassify all incinerators as disposal facilities. The NGO also recommends setting a ceiling for the annual generation of mixed (residual) municipal waste of 100 kg per capita by 2035.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/524 (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)