In a statement, the European Suppliers of Waste-to-Energy Technology (ESWET) says that it welcomes the European Commission's roadmap on the carbon removal certification as a "positive first step" in the successful implementation of carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCUS) technologies in Europe.
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According to ESWET, the specificities of all sectors, including Waste-to-Energy (WtE), should be taken into account in the roadmap to ensure the achievement of the 2050 carbon-neutrality objectives.
In a position paper, ESWET highlights that for WtE, the integration of CCUS is an extra step towards decarbonization but one with potential.
Indeed, capturing and permanently storing biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) can “enable waste to be a net-zero or even net-negative emissions energy source”, as acknowledged by the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report (2022).
While projects in the sector – in Oslo, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark, to name a few – have been developing at a fast pace over the last few years, showing that the technology is mature, a comprehensive regulation at the EU level is still missing in the successful implementation of CCUS in WtE plants.
To allow the WtE sector to fully contribute to the EU decarbonization efforts, ESWET is calling for the carbon removal certification to:
- Establish a clear legislative framework with no contradiction with other decarbonization instruments;
- Facilitate the access to EU funding for Waste-to-Energy to integrate carbon capture, especially for large-scale plants;
- Provide business case and financial incentive for removals of both fossil, and biogenic CO2
A solid certification scheme will also enable the development of the full value chain, including carbon transport, storage, and utilization.
Indeed, as more financial support is needed to ensure the full-scale deployment of infrastructure in Europe and ensure the effectiveness of carbon removals, clear regulation will provide visibility to investors and facilitate new projects.
Waste-to-Energy plants already act as carbon sinks by providing heat and electricity, diverting waste from landfills, and recovering metals and minerals from incineration bottom ash.
Moreover, due to the heterogeneous composition of the non-recyclable waste treated, about 50 percent of the emissions emitted by the plants are of biogenic origin, meaning from biomass.
The integration of CCUS will allow these plants to become carbon-negative operators.
