A recent Reuters article highlighted the ongoing problem of waste management in China, with a spotlight on a newly opened Waste to Energy (WtE) incineration plant located in Wujiang, China. The plant is owned and operated by China Everbright International and is a good example of the positive steps being taken to tackle the waste problem, whilst addressing the environmental necessity for renewable energy generation. The Wujiang plant is designed to burn 1,500 tonnes of waste every day and generates heat to run turbines that deliver 500,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity to the power grid. The electricity is sold at preferential tariffs, around double those of coal-fired plants.
China is proactively dealing with pollution on many fronts, and waste management is only one of the many challenges. However, as the article highlights, the country has struggled to reach previous targets, with daily incineration capacity of 235,224 tonnes by the end of 2015 missing a goal of more than 300,000 tonnes. The view is that there is significant spending needed to reach the 2020 target which is 500,000 tonnes of waste a day, or 2.5 times the 2014 figure. At the same time, the parallel development of a recycling industry is a necessary supplement to the overall framework for tackling waste, and new ways to encourage recycling are needed.
In our view, the level and constancy with which Chinese government policy is encouraging WtE and renewable energy is both positive and having a significant impact. But over time the industry must become profitable and self-sustaining without such support. The importance of an effective waste collection infrastructure and the deployment of highly efficient waste incineration technologies are key to this objective. DP offers proven solutions for various types of WtE using the same grate technology as the Everbright Suzhou plant, with the addition of FGT and specialised emissions management.
Please click here to view the original article by Reuters.
