What is Waste to Energy Production, How to Do It?
We produce millions of tons of waste every day. Domestic food waste, plastic bottles, packaging, industrial waste... These all go into garbage bags and usually disappear in front of our eyes. However, nothing really disappears. Waste is either buried into the soil or incinerated or directly goes into the nature. This creates environmental pollution while also creating an increasingly growing economic and social issue.
A novel approach comes to the fore exactly at this point: “Waste to energy” systems. This approach proposes viewing waste not merely as a liability to be discarded, but also as a valuable resource. Transforming the potential in the waste into energy can play a critical role in the fight against climate crisis as well as supplying for the increased energy demand.
In this article, we examine the transformation of waste to energy. Enjoy reading!
Waste is usually perceived as a discarded, useless, and worthless thing. In reality, however, what we call waste is an unused source. In the global scale, every year more than 2 billion tons of urban solid waste is produced. Almost one third of this amount is left directly into the nature without recycling or proper disposal. The picture is no different in Türkiye either. According to the data of Turkish Statistical Institute, annual municipal waste is around 30 million tons. Majority of this waste is still being sent to sanitary landfills.
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Increase in waste creates a problem not only in terms of aesthetics or the order in settlements, but also due to significant environmental consequences. Methane gas leaking from sanitary landfills is a greenhouse gas that has so much more negative environmental impacts than carbon dioxide. Plastic waste threatens ecosystems by mixing in the seas and lakes. Wastes buried in the soil can pollute underground waters. All this reveals that waste is not only “garbage,” but also an issue that needs to be managed.
Check out our blog post for further details regarding greenhouse gases.
“Waste to energy” concept (waste-to-energy) refers to transformation of urban and industrial waste into energy using various methods. This energy can be in the form of electricity, heat, or fuel. The fundamental logic is simple: Wastes, directly sent to the landfills or disposed of by incineration, actually have a potential that can be converted to energy.
This method does not serve as an alternative to recycling; rather, it is complementary. Plastic bottles or metal cans, for example, should be recycled. However, mixed, and low value waste that cannot be recycled can be used in energy production. Thus, recycling and energy recovery work together in the waste hierarchy, enabling minimization of losses.
There are different technologies for producing energy from waste. Among these, the most popular one is ‘incineration.’ Wastes are incinerated at elevated temperatures to produce electricity and heat. Emissions can be kept under control as modern facilities use filtering systems. However, its environmental impacts remain a topic of debate.
Another method is anaerobic digestion. In this method, organic wastes (for example, food waste or animal manure) are digested by bacteria in anaerobic environment. The resulting biogas can be used in the production of electricity and heat. Biogas can also be injected into natural gas systems. This method is quite efficient, particularly in regions with a lot of agricultural and food waste.
Gasification and pyrolysis come to the fore among more advanced technologies. Gasification refers to breaking down waste at remarkably elevated temperatures in a controlled manner to produce synthetic gas. Pyrolysis, on the other hand, refers to breaking down waste in anaerobic environment to transform them into liquid and gas fuels. Despite being in the early phases of development, these technologies represent some of the most innovative approaches for converting waste into energy in the future.
There are many advantages of waste to energy production. First of all, it reduces the amount of waste sent to sanitary landfills. This, in turn, reduces the need for more space while limiting environmental damage. It also provides energy production. Production of electricity and heat has a strategic importance, particularly for countries with high energy dependency. For countries importing energy, such as Türkiye, waste to energy projects present an opportunity that can decrease foreign dependency.
Another advantage reveals itself in the economic dimension. Transforming waste into energy creates new business areas and investments. It can reduce waste collection costs for municipalities. Furthermore, the produced energy can be sold to gain revenue. When looked at from the perspective of circular economy, waste to energy production is a win-win model that provides both environmental and economic benefits.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What are Hazardous Wastes?’
Of course, there are aspects of these systems that are criticized as well. The most expressed subject is emissions. Particularly dioxin and heavy metal emissions in incineration facilities can create a risk for the environment. Although modern filter systems minimize these impacts to a great extent, public opinion remains mostly concerned about “waste incineration facilities.”
Another criticism is directed at high investment costs. Establishment and operation of these facilities are quite expensive processes. These costs create a big obstacle, particularly in developing countries. Furthermore, some experts argue that ‘waste to energy’ projects can encourage waste production. In other words, communities can be less eager to change their consumption habits, saying “it is turned into energy anyway.”
One of the most prominent countries in this area is Sweden. Sweden recycles almost all of its wastes or turns them into energy. So much so that the country imports waste from neighboring countries occasionally to sustain its energy production. Germany is known for its strict rules in waste management, conversion into energy being part of this chain. Japan has been preferring energy production for years instead of burying waste due to limited land area.
In recent years, waste to energy investments have been accelerating in Türkiye. In big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, there are facilities in operation that produce energy from solid waste. Particularly biogas projects are expanding in rural regions. Municipalities try to direct waste to these facilities instead of sending these to sanitary landfills. Nonetheless, significant potential remains in an idle state. Only a small portion of wastes in Türkiye are converted into energy.
The role of private sector is growing in this area. Energy companies cooperate with waste management firms to develop new projects. Still, the process can advance slowly due to regulations, investment costs, and public concerns. More extensive policies and incentives are required to fully benefit from the potential in Türkiye.
Waste to energy systems is an important part of the “circular economy” vision of the future. This is an economic model in which waste does not disappear, and each piece is reused. Waste to energy can provide significant benefits in energy production together with renewable resources. Modern technologies will increase efficiency and minimize environmental impacts even more.
Moreover, it is essential for society to change its perspective on waste. Our responsibility does not end with closing up the garbage bag to put it out. It is important to analyze our consumption habits, and to create a balance between recycling and conversion to energy.
Click here to read our blog post titled ‘What is a Circular Economy?’
What we call “garbage” can actually be the energy source of the future. Waste to energy systems are not merely methods to dispose of the garbage; they also represent a step taken for fight against climate crisis, energy security, and economic sustainability. And steps to be taken by Türkiye in this area will shape our environmental and economic future.