Waste-to-energy technologies in

developed countries

Authors: Victoria Kolpikova, Olga I. Sergienko

2023
 Why developed states?
Due to urbanisation and growing populations global annual waste generation is expected to jump to 3.88 billion
tonnes by 2050, which indicates a 73 percent increase from 2020.

Source: Our World in Data

 Why developed states?

Developed states only account for 16% of the

world’s population, while generate more than one-
third (34% ) of the world’s waste

Source: World Bank, 2018

 Why developed states?
The rise in daily waste production per capita has linear correlation with GDP per capita

In high income countries the volume of MSW is higher and it can extend from 1.4 to 2.0 kg/capita/day

Source: World Bank, 2021

 WtE

Waste-to-energy (WtE) refers to a variety of treatment

technologies that convert waste to electricity, heat, fuel,
or other usable materials, as well as a range of residues
including fly ash, sludge, slag, boiler ash, wastewater
and emissions, including greenhouse gases.

Source: UNEP
 UNEP waste to energy foundations

Source: https://www.unep.org/ietc/resources/publication/waste-energy-considerations-informed-decision-making
 WtE technologies classification
• Incineration • Anaerobic digestion
• Gasification • Ethanol fermentation
• Plasma supported gasification • Landfill with gas capture
• Pyrolysis • Composting
• Torrefaction
• Plasma technology

Thermal
Biochemical
Conversation
Methods
Methods

WtE

New Trends Chemical and

WtE Mechanical
Technologies Methods
• Esterification
• Microbial fuel cells
• Photo-biological processes • Microbial electrolysis cells
• Dark fermentation • Generation of biological
• Ethanol fermentation hydrogen
• Mechanical biological
treatment 
Source: Rasheed, 2021
Incineration
Incineration
Popularity in developed
Overview Pros & Cons
states

Can produce both heat and Japan - about 80% of MSW

Incineration is thermal
energy. is incinerated
treatment method.
On the level of calorific EU - between 35% and 80%
In this method, controlled
content of MSW over of waste is incinerated
combustion is used to
1700 kcal/kg, the
raise the temperature of Germany – 30% a waste is
incineration would be
the MSW. incinerated
advantageous.
The incineration method US – around 20% of waste is
allows to reduce the incinerated
volume of MSW and High operational and
generate electricity or heat maintenance capital costs South Korea – 23% of the
renewable energy produced
came from the incineration
Regression analysis
Goal

• Identify main factors which can influence the popularity of

incineration method for waste treatment among developed states
 Regression analysis
x3 (av
y electrical x5 (eco-
• Raw data (waste_treatm
ent_incineratio x1 (GDP per
power
x2 (electr price consumption
x4 innovation
(total_msw_generate supporting
x6
(infrustructure
Country n_percent) Capita $) Kwh, USD) per capita) d_tons_year) environment) ) x7 (total area)
• 14 developed states
Australia 9,77 51692,84 0,23 9,50 13345000,00 0,41 60,90 7688,13
• Dependent variable: Belgium 43,39 45205,30 0,46 7,15 4765883,00 0,38 57,20 30,53

waste incineration Canada 3,00 43258,30 0,12 14,61 25103034,00 0,42 58,50 9984,67

percentage France 34,70 39037,10 0,22 6,70 36748820,00 0,36 62,30 543,94
Germany 31,71 46252,70 0,53 6,31 50627876,00 0,50 62,00 357,59
• Independent variables: Italy 19,00 31770,00 0,47 4,93 30088400,00 0,30 59,40 302,07
• GDP per capita Japan 80,20 40193,30 0,26 7,15 42720000,00 0,52 64,00 377,98

• Price for electricity

Netherlands 47,37 52396,00 0,35 6,39 8805088,00 0,40 61,80 41,54
• Average electricity
Poland 13,24 15742,50 0,18 4,02 12758213,00 0,29 53,80 312,71
consumption
Spain 11,62 27056,40 0,38 5,13 22408548,00 0,36 63,10 505,98
• Total MSW generation Sweden 51,20 52274,00 0,29 13,09 4618168,50 0,60 69,10 447,43
• Eco-innovation supporting
environment Switzerland 47,00 87100,40 0,24 6,57 6079556,00 0,52 68,20 41,29
• Infrastructure development United
• Total area Kingdom 31,38 41059,20 0,48 4,50 30771140,00 0,37 64,40 242,50

United States
of America 12,80 63206,50 0,18 12,15 265224528,00 0,42 59,20 9834,63
11
 Regression analysis results
The most significant factor for this model is Correlation between incineration share and eco-innovation
the eco-innovation supporting environment1. supporting environment
This index includes: 90.00

80.00
• Government expenditure on green R& 70.00
• Impacts of environmental regulations on
60.00
corporate competitiveness

Percent of incineration
• Corporate priority level of sustainable 50.00

development 40.00

• Generation Capacity of Renewable 30.00

Energy 20.00

10.00

0.00
0.29 0.34 0.39 0.44 0.49 0.54 0.59 0.64

Eco-innovation supporting rank

12
1
ASEIC (2018)
 Regression analysis results
Another significant factor for this model is Correlation between incineration share and infrustructure index
the infrastructure development1. 90.00
This indicator includes:
80.00

• Information and communication 70.00

technologies (ICTs) 60.00

Percent of incineration
• General infrastructure 50.00
• Ecological sustainability
40.00

30.00

20.00

10.00

0.00
53.00 55.00 57.00 59.00 61.00 63.00 65.00 67.00 69.00 71.00

Infrustructure index

13
1
GII (2019)
 Regression analysis results
Also, there is a correlation between percent Correlation between incineration share and country territory
of incinerated waste and country’s area1. 90.00

80.00
The correlation is negative.
70.00

Despite the uneven distribution and the 60.00

Percent of incineration
obvious presence of outliers, a relationship 50.00
can be identified
40.00

30.00

20.00

10.00

0.00
0.00 2000.00 4000.00 6000.00 8000.00 10000.00 12000.00

Total country area

14
1
Britannika (2023)
Opportunities for further research
• This model has obvious drawbacks in the form of insufficient data access
and a small number of samples, so this can be increased in the future.
• This analysis can be extended by comparing other countries as well.
• It is also possible to analyze other types of WTU if data are available.
• You can explore other kinds of independent variables and deepen your
analysis.
 Thank you!

Authors: Victoria Kolpikova, Maria A. Danilyuk

2023