How Waste to Energy Works

A WtE plant converts solid waste into Heat and Electricity – an ecological, cost-effective way of energy recovery.

A waste-to-energy (or energy-from-waste) plant converts municipal and industrial solid waste into electricity and/or heat for industrial processing and for district heating systems – an ecologically sound, cost-effective means of energy recovery. The energy plant works by burning waste at high temperatures and using the heat to make steam. The steam then drives a turbine that creates electricity.

Energy-from-waste is a way to recover valuable resources.

Energy from waste (EfW) isn’t just a trash disposal method. It’s a way to recover valuable resources.

Today, it is possible to re-use 90% of the metals contained in the bottom ash. And the remaining clinker can be re-used as road material. 

The results and benefits are proven:

• Avoids methane emissions from landfills
• Offsets greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil fuel electrical production
• Recovers/recycles valuable resources, such as metals
• Produces clean, reliable base-loaded energy and steam
• Uses less land per megawatt than other renewable energy sources
• Sustainable and steady renewable fuel source (compared to wind and solar)
• Destroys chemical waste / conventional HAPs
• Results in low emission levels, typically well below permitted levels
• Catalytically destroys NOx, dioxins and furans using an SCR