Energy Systems Analysis of Waste to Energy Technologies by use of EnergyPLAN

max. 2000 char.): Even when policies of waste prevention, re-use and recycling are prioritised, a fraction of waste will still be left which can be used for energy recovery. This report asks the question: How to utilise waste for energy in the best way seen from an energy system perspective? Eight different Waste-to-Energy technologies are compared with a focus on fuel efficiency, CO2 reductions and costs. The comparison is made by conducting detailed energy system analyses of the present system as well as a potential future Danish energy system with a large share of combined heat and power and wind power. The study shows the potential of using waste for the production of transport fuels such as upgraded biogas and petrol made from syngas. Biogas and thermal gasification technologies are interesting alternatives to waste incineration and it is recommended to support the use of biogas based on manure and organic waste. It is also recommended to support research into gasification of waste without the addition of coal and biomass. Together, the two solutions may contribute to an alternate use of one third of the waste which is currently incinerated. The remaining fractions should still be incinerated with priority given to combined heat and power plants with high electrical efficiencies. ISSN 0106-2840 ISBN 978-87-550-3719-9 Contract no.: PSP: 1200196 Journal nr. 200600980 Group's own reg. no.: PSP: 1200001 Sponsorship: Danish Technical Research Council (STVF) Cover : Pages: 99 Tables: 32 References: 117 Information Service Department Riso National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Technical University of Denmark P.O.Box 49 DK-4000 Roskilde Denmark Telephone +45 46774005 bibl@risoe.dtu.dk Fax +45 46774013 www.risoe.dtu.dk Preface This report forms part of the documentation of the research project “ENSUWE – Environmentally Sustainable Utilization of Waste resources for Energy production”. The project is funded by the Danish Research Agency’s programme for strategic funding within sustainable energy administered by the Danish Technical Research Council (STVF). The report also forms part of the documentation of the PhD project of the author, entitled “Energy System Analysis of Waste Utilisation for Energy Production”. Thanks are extended to Thilde Fruergaard from the Technical University of Denmark as well as the staff from the Swedish Gas Centre, Waste Centre Denmark, DONG Energy, Danish Energy Authority, DAKA, Lemvig Biogas Plant and PlanEnergi for contributing with data to the analysis. Furthermore, thanks are extended to Henrik Lund and Brian Vad Mathiesen from Aalborg University; Poul Erik Morthorst and Kenneth Karlsson from Riso National Laboratory; Thomas Astrup from the Technical University of Denmark, as well as Tore Hulgaard from Ramboll for valuable and inspiring discussions and comments. Thanks are also extended to Mette Sorensen from Aalborg University for language revisions. Finally, thanks are extended to the staff of the Energy Systems group at Riso-DTU and the Energy Planning research group at Aalborg University for encouragement and discussions. In particular, thanks to Stephanie Ropenus for chocolate and good company. Marie Munster Riso National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark April 2009