Europe Waste to Energy Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032

Europe Waste to Energy Market Outlook

The Europe waste to energy market size was approximately USD 11.99 billion in 2023. The market is assessed to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% between 2024 and 2032, reaching a value of USD 22.58 billion by 2032.

Key Takeaways

• European nations prioritise renewable energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease reliance on fossil fuels, recognising waste-to-energy as a crucial part of this transition.

• In Europe, there are around 500 waste-to-energy facilities that generate sufficient electricity to meet the annual power needs of nearly 20 million individuals, while also supplying heat to approximately 17 million people each year.

• Using waste-to-energy technology can reduce waste by up to 90% compared to landfill disposal, leading to less pollution, reduced environmental harm, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and more land available for ecological restoration.

As per the Europe waste to energy market analysis, numerous European countries are implementing measures to transform waste into energy. For instance, in the city of Belgrade, the disposal of everyday waste from households used to occur in a landfill that gained infamy due to landslides, pollution, fires, and unpleasant smells. However, the introduction of a new waste management facility, which includes a waste-to-energy plant capable of converting a maximum of 340,000 tons of waste into renewable heat and electricity, has rejuvenated the region. As a result, residents can now enjoy clean air, and the environment has been able to restore itself to its original condition.

The biological conversion of waste to energy has emerged as one of the most promising technologies. Dendro liquid energy (DLE), is one such cutting-edge waste-to-energy system that offers high energy conversion rate (more than 80%), and as it processes waste biologically, it leads to almost zero emissions. DLE systems are considered more efficient for energy generation when compared to other WtE techniques like anaerobic digestion.

The  governments in countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria have introduced stringent landfill bans, and are promoting waste-to-energy and recycling as complementary to reduce waste from landfills. Such measures are leading to the Europe waste to energy market growth.

Germany is expected to continue to be the leading market due to increasing investments made in advancing waste to energy technologies and strict enforcement of prevailing environmental protection laws. The nation currently has over 65 waste incineration plants in operation with a total capacity of handling 20 million metric tonnes of waste. It has one of the highest rates of waste to energy conversion in the world. Other European nations that have a high rate of conversion from waste to energy include Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, and Norway, among others.

Market Segmentation

Europe Waste to Energy Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032 offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments

Market Breakup by Technology

• Thermal
  • Incineration
  • Pyrolysis
  • Gasification

• Biological

• Physical

Market Breakup by Region

• Germany

• United Kingdom

• France

• Italy

• Others

Competitive Landscape

The waste to energy sector has garnered significant attention from market players due to its growing importance in addressing the global waste management and energy challenges.

• Hitachi Zosen Inova AG

• Martin GmbH

• A2A S.p.A.

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd

• Babcock & Wilcox Enterprise Inc

• Covanta Holding Corporation

• Veolia Environment SA

• Ramboll Group A/S

• Iqony GmbH (Steag GmbH)

• Encyclis Limited

• Others

Key Highlights of the Report