Opportunities Unfold for the Waste-to-Energy Plant Market as Fossil Fuel Reserves Dwindle

Sept. 19, 2011 - PRLog -- Frost & Sullivan: Opportunities Unfold for the Waste-to-Energy Plant Market as Fossil Fuel Reserves Dwindle

Lack of technical skills and labor for plant management restrains market growth

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Sept. 19, 2011 – The intensifying quest for alternatives to fossil fuels and the need to bridge the energy demand and supply gap has opened up new avenues for the waste to energy plant market. The escalating threat from farming and municipal waste poses serious environment problems. As fossil fuel reserves are fast depleting, there is a pressing need to step up the tempo of research to find alternative methodologies and technologies. Waste from farms, gardens, industries and municipalities can be utilized to obtain petroleum substitutes, heat and electricity.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s (http://www.frost.com) Key Opportunities in Waste to Energy Plant Market research finds that there are a number of new and emerging technologies that are able to produce energy from waste, which could be broadly classified based on the nature of conversion. The two main groups are thermal technologies and non-thermal technologies.

If you are interested in more information on this study, please send an email to Britni Myers, Corporate Communications, at britni.myers@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company email address, company Web site, city, state and country.

“Hydro-photosynthetic and thermo-chemical transfer processes can help capture carbon dioxide gas emitted by industries to convert into usable synthetic petroleum that has high calorific value,” said Technical Insights Senior Research Analyst Avinash Iyer. “Besides limiting the need for traditional fuels the technology helps in lowering the total energy costs and cutting greenhouse gases emissions.”

The European Union (EU) had issued a Waste Incineration Directive (2000/76/EC) in December 2000. The directive lays down standards for EU members for the incineration of municipal solid waste. It is aimed at minimizing the negative impacts on the environment and human health resulting from pollutants in air, soil, surface and ground water from the incineration and co-incineration of waste. The regulation has provided an impetus for EU members to roll out technically advanced incineration plants to attain high standards in emission control.

With South Asian countries witnessing rapid industrialization and consumer spending, opportunities are proliferating for market participants to recover energy from waste. This will spiral up the growth in the waste-to-energy plant market in the Asia Pacific region. At the same time, with government support, large investments can also be expected in the near future.

Waste-to-energy plants require high levels of expertise for designing and operating the plant using various kinds of wastes and technologies. When an opportunity arises for a waste-to-energy plant to be commissioned, the required local human resources with necessary technical skills for its smooth operation may not be readily available. For instance, in many Asia Pacific countries, European and North American companies are lending their resources and sharing their expertise. However, language barriers impede the growth of the waste-to-energy companies in these markets.

Waste management is highly regulated within the municipal infrastructure because of a wide range of regulatory goals to protect human health and the environment. Furthermore, it also promotes waste minimization and recycling, restricts certain types of waste management activities, and reduces impact on residents. Though a wide range of waste management legislation and policies exist in the developing countries, regulations that are more stringent are required for greater effectiveness.

North America, the EU, and Japan have numerous incineration plants where a majority of industrial wastes is utilized for energy production. However, to cater to the rising energy demand, many more waste-to-energy plants need to be designed and commissioned, and the respective government bodies must extend substantial support.

“In developing countries, controlled incineration of waste is infrequently practiced because of high capital and operating costs, as well as their history of previous unsustainable projects,” said Iyer. “Thus, for successful utilization of industrial waste, appreciable support should be extended by both policy regulators and government bodies.”

Key Opportunities in Waste to Energy Plant Market, a part of the Technical Insights subscription, provides an overview of the technologies in this space and analyzes the factors that are aiding or deterring their growth. Further, this research service includes detailed technology analysis and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

Frost & Sullivan’s Technical Insights research group is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters and research services.

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Key Opportunities in Waste to Energy Plant Market
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Contact:
Britni Myers
Corporate Communications – North America
P: 210.477.8481
F: 210.348.1003
E: britni.myers@frost.com

http://www.frost.com
http://www.technicalinsights.frost.com

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Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.