IEA Bioenergy - Task 36: Small scale energy from waste
Drivers and barriers
an IEA Bioenergy - Task 36 study, 2015
In 2004, the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 36 – ‘Integrating Energy Recovery in to Solid Waste Management Systems’ (Task 36) published a topic report “Review of small scale waste to energy conversion systems” (Stein and Tobiasen, 2004). The aim of that topic report was to review the technology and economics of small-scale energy conversion systems and report on the level of commercial availability in IEA Bioenergy Task 36 member countries. The objectives were to collate information on selected small scale waste treatment systems and to produce a status report of the technical and economic potential of such systems for waste treatment. There has been an interest expressed from different parties to update that earlier task report since there is a growing interest in small scale energy from waste in different parts of the world. Although there have not been significant technology developments within the area, there are many other aspects that need to be considered when establishing a small scale EfW plant. In this study, case studies from France, Sweden and United Kingdom are presented. The main focus in the case studies has been on the drivers behind the development of these plants, as opposed to which technologies were used. In particular we examined factors such as local geography, ways to offset the higher per tonne cost and the impact of public perception. This has allowed us to highlight how the drivers and barriers for small scale EfW differ between different countries and regions in this report.
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