Waste to Energy in the Age of the Circular Economy: Best Practice Handbook

By Asian Development Bank

This handbook features best practices for integrating waste to energy and related technologies into the operations of various industries. It discusses current technologies, presents a conceptual example of municipal solid waste planning, and provides commentary on waste-to-energy initiatives. The importance of appropriate infrastructure as well as flexibility and openness to technologies and business models is emphasized. The handbook—and its complementary compendium of 18 projects—aim to support the efforts of developing countries in Asia and the Pacific to deploy and scale up technologies relevant to the circular economy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Release date: Nov 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9789292624811

Book preview

WASTE TO ENERGY IN THE AGE OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

BEST PRACTICE HANDBOOK

NOVEMBER 2020

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

© 2020 Asian Development Bank

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Some rights reserved. Published in 2020.

ISBN: 978-92-9262-480-4 (print); 978-92-9262-481-1 (electronic); 978-92-9262-482-8 (ebook)

Publication Stock No. TIM200330-2

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TIM200330-2

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On the cover: Municipal garbage truck brings about 3,500 tons of garbage daily from a waste transfer station to a waste-to-energy plant in the People’s Republic of China (photos by Lu Guang, 12 February 2014). Waste-to-energy plant in the People’s Republic of China (photo by: Lu Guang, 11 February 2014)

CONTENTS

TABLES AND FIGURES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This publication provides a snapshot of waste-to-energy activities and presents a number of best practices in the deployment of waste-to-energy technologies. The report features both technically proven and emerging technologies implemented by both public and private sectors.

This handbook was prepared through the Regional Technical Assistance (RETA) 8944: Renewable Energy Mini-Grids and Distributed Power Generation (Subproject A) supported by the Clean Technology Fund under cluster TA CDTA 0017 Promoting Sustainable Energy for All for Asia and the Pacific.

The report is a result of the team effort led by Stephen Peters, senior energy specialist (waste to energy), Energy Sector Group, Sector Advisory Service Cluster (SDSC-ENE), Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC) with support and guidance from Yongping Zhai, chief, SDSC-ENE, SDCC; and Kee-Yung Nam, principal energy economist, SDSC-ENE, SDCC. We are also grateful to contributions provided by the consultants including Chih-Ting Lo, Fely Arriola, Patrick Co, Sasank Goli, Keshan Samarasinghe, and Elmar Elbling.

We extend our thanks to technology contributors which are featured in this report: CNIM Group; Heinrich Seul, CBE (Thailand) Co, Ltd. for Indocement; S. Nandhagopal (Nandha), Caring Nature; Henrik Selstam, ScanGreen Energy; Ankur Jain and Ashok Choudhuri, Ankur Scientific Energy Technologies; Som Narayan, Carbon Masters India, Pvt., Ltd.; Shobha Raghavan, Saahas Zero Waste; Paul Puthenpurekal, SUREPEP, Inc. and SURE Eco Energy; Mark Frecheville, Torreco Pty Ltd.; Jan Eike Graeff, SBANG Sustainable Energies Ltd.; Peter Davies, ID Gasifiers Pty. Ltd.; Hoy Peou, HD&L Co., Ltd.; Desmond Godson, Asia Biogas; Harmen Dekker, DMT Environmental Technology; Zhao Yitong Co., Ltd., and Marcelo Barbato, IES Biogas.

Additional thanks also to Lerwen Liu, senior advisor at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi for facilitating the coordination among these different companies.

This handbook has been prepared so that a nontechnical reader can be presented with the best available technologies, an explanation of the science and engineering involved, the policies needed, and the commercial outcomes leading to social and environmental needs. It does not supplant the work of expert consultants in feasibility, design, implementation, and operations of waste-to-energy facilities. We hope this guide empowers the reader to understand the current state of development and how best transition to a circular economy while resolving the sanitation and pollution challenges facing our civilization.

FOREWORD

This handbook is one of a series of reference materials on advanced energy and low carbon technologies. This series aims to achieve the following objectives: (i) support the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) developing member countries in adopting and deploying advanced technologies, (ii) scale up the ADB Clean Energy Program that prioritizes energy efficiency and renewable energy, and (iii) increase the energy sector’s contribution to climate finance in mitigation and adaptation.

Waste to energy is one of the circular economy solutions that can