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Scaling Sludge Mountains
Breaking Down Barriers for Chinese Cities to Turn Sludge Waste into Energy
Updated November 2018
By Luan Dong, Joyce Tang, Zhou Yang, Jennifer L. Turner and Coco Liu Edited and Expanded by Qinqi Dai, Lyssa Freese, Lan Geng & Gillian Zwicker Prepared with support from the U.S. EPA and Global Methane Initiative, Luce Foundation, Energy Foundation, and ClimateWorks
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Contents
A SLUDGE-TO-ENERGY MODEL FOR CHINA’S TIER-2 CITIES?
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN CHINA TO HELP SECOND-TIER CITIES IMPROVE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT 30
COVER PHOTO CREDIT:
TOVEN Company, Xiangyang sludge-to-energy plant
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List of Tables and Figures
Table 1. China Sludge Production, Estimates from Various Sources 5 Table 2. Comparing Heavy Metal Content in Chinese and German Sludge (mg/kg of Dry Sludge) 6 Table 3. Typical Pairing of Sludge Treatment and Disposal Options 7 Table 4. Sludge Treatment Capacity in China 8 Table 5. Current Technical Routes of Sludge Treatment, Reuse, and Disposal in China* 11 Table 6. Carbon Footprint of Sludge Treatment and Disposal Options 13 Table 7. Key National Policies and Targets for Sludge Management 16 Table 8. Capital and Operational Expenditure Estimates of Various Sludge Treatment Technologies 17 Table 9. Sludge Safe Disposal Targets for Urban Areas in China’s 12
FYP 17 Table 10. Sludge Safe Disposal Targets for Urban Areas in China’s 13
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FYP 22 Table 11. Wastewater Treatment Targets for China’s 13th FYP 23 Table 12. Current Subsidies Available to Sludge Plants in Various Provinces/Cities 24 Table 13. Comparing Organic Content in Chinese and German Sludge (% in Dry Sludge) 21 Table 14. Selected Anaerobic Digestion Projects in China 22 Table 15. Xiangyang City’s Yuliangzhou Project Annual Subsidies and Expenditures 25 Table 16. Sludge Treatment Techniques Used by Select EU Nations 40 Figure 1. China’s Population, Wastewater Treatment Capacity, and Sludge Output (2000–2014) 5 Figure 2. Current Sludge Dewatering Rate and Disposal of Dewatered Sludge in China 7 Figure 3. Overview of Xiangyang Sludge-to-Energy Project 26
Abbreviations
AD
anaerobic digestion
BOT
build operate transfer
CEF
China Environment Forum
CNG
compressed natural gas
CNSF
China’s National Science Foundation
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
ERG
Eastern Research Group
FYP
Five-Year Plan
MEP
Ministry of Environmental Protection
MOA
Ministry of Agriculture
MOHURD
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
MOST
Ministry of Science and Technology
MWW
municipal wastewater
NDRC
National Development and Resource Commission
NGO
Nongovernmental organization