CCS on Waste to Energy

Publication Overview

It is estimated that, by 2050, 3.75 billion tons 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. This report is divided into 5 sections: overview of WtE frameworks and WtE with CCS projects; review of regulations for WtE plants; overview of strategies to cut down CO₂ emissions from WtE plants; review of challenges on the integration of CO₂ capture systems on WtE plants; and assessment of the market potential of the WtE-CCU/CCS integration.

Publication Summary

• 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