The commercialisation of
innovative and modern
biological waste-toenergy
systems and
technologies is promoting a
new wave of growth in the
green energy sector globally.
The biological waste-to-energy
plant represents an excellent
option to treat biological
waste and produce energy.
Indeed, many governments
acknowledge that these plants
are an ideal solution to help
fight climate change and guarantee
energy independence.
Driven by government regulation
and support, demand for
biological waste-to-energy
plants in the world is growing
and the market is becoming
more competitive.
According to new analysis
from Frost & Sullivan, the market
for biological waste-toenergy
plant in Europe, which
is the largest in the world, is
expected to reach $3.6 billion in
2016 under an optimistic scenario.
The German market was
worth $998.3 million in 2009
and represented 76.8 per cent
of the European market. The
market in Germany has grown
exponentially over the last 10
years driven by government
policies and a supportive banking
sector. The same policies
are being introduced in other
European countries, such as
Italy, and we can expect strong
growth in these markets over
the next 5-10 years.
In other areas of the world the
biological waste-to-energy
market is an embryonic stage.
Frost & Sullivan Senior Analyst
Nuno Oscar Branco says: "In
the Asian, North and South
American regions the market
remains underdeveloped, for
three main reasons: first, governments
in these regions have
yet to introduce biogas or
green energy policies; second,
quantity, availability, quality
and management of feedstock
are not appropriate for investments
or long-term growth of
this market; and finally the biogas
industry, mostly European
and German based, is not committing
resources to develop
these markets."
Changing situation
However, the situation is changing
in some countries or municipalities
where there have been
improvements in the business
environment for biological
waste to energy. In the USA, for
example, the federal government
launched programme
AgSTAR that "encourages the
use of methane recovery (biogas)
technologies (…) reduce
methane emissions while
achieving other environmental
benefits" and in India, the Punjab
government, is promoting
the construction of modern biological
waste-to-energy plants
to supply electricity to the state.
"These two examples are evidence
to the type of projects likely
to take place across the world
over the next decades," says
Nuno Oscar.
The market potential for biogas
generated by anaerobic
digestion in a biological wasteto-
energy plant is very high and
market growth in some countries
of Europe, such as Italy or
Czech Republic; North and
South America, such as Brazil,
USA and Canada; and the Asia-
Pacific region, such as India
and Australia, can be exponential.
Companies operating or
investing in this industry
should weigh the risk of missing
the expected growth in
demand in these countries and
draw plans for international
expansion and investments.