What are the functions of a Waste-to-Energy Plant?
Regular power plants use coal, oil and natural gases to generate power. However, a waste-to-energy plant works by burning waste at high temperatures, using the heat to create steam. This steam then pow
ers a turbine that creates electricity, generating energy. Waste-to-energy turns non-recyclable waste into safe, useful energy and valuable raw materials in an environmentally safe manner.
Additionally, the plants help reduce the amount of waste being landfilled. As household and similar waste should be sorted at the source and sent to an appropriate recycling distributor, the remaining waste that cannot be recycled should be used to generate energy by these plants.
Therefore, waste-to-energy plants help to keep the environment clean by dealing with unwanted waste materials within the recycling cycle. The energy produced by the plants also contributes to climate protection and security of energy supply by replacing the fossil fuels that have been used to produce energy in conventional power plants.
How much energy do Waste-to-Energy Plants produce?Waste-to-energy plants in Europe can supply up to 18 million inhabitants with electricity, and 15.2 million inhabitants with heat. Depending on the fuel that is being replaced, between 10-49 million tonnes of fossil fuels (emitting 24 – 49 million tonnes of CO2) would need to be used by regular power plants to produce the same amount of energy. The energy generated from waste-to-energy plants is considered to be around 50% renewable.
As a result, the plants have become one of the most robust and effective alternative energy options to reduce CO2 emissions, saving limited fossil fuels resources that are used by conventional power plants.
