Waste-to-energy innovations powering a circular economy

The benefits of better food waste management extend to community-building, liveability and poverty reduction in cities. Waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies provide elegant solutions for food waste management with tangible and usable products including energy and fertiliser, and attractive environmental and social benefits. When combined with food security they provide a powerful case for city and rural communities alike. The majority of waste-to-energy facilities in the world are in Europe, Japan, and the US. In developing countries such as African nations, a very limited share of waste is recovered and reused, and only major or capital cities have waste management systems. In a number of these countries the use of waste to generate electricity could have a significant impact. Waste can make a very high contribution to providing electricity to citizens and alleviating energy poverty, especially in countries with little access to electricity and low electricity consumption per capita. For isolated, rural and less wealthy populations, the benefits of an effective circular economy are even more direct than for a Western urban population. The production of biogas from organic waste via anaerobic digestion is one such technology that fits perfectly in a circular economy and engenders the energy independence needed by these communities. This case study presentation gives an overview of the different waste-to-energy technology options that exist, and highlights some key innovations across the globe. A particular focus is novel approaches that have been used in developing countries, and the impacts on food loss and waste, livelihoods and food security.