Renewable Energy: Waste to Energy | Environment for UPSC 2025 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


WASTE TO ENERGY  
Page 2


WASTE TO ENERGY  
INTRODUCTION 
Urban India currently produces around 1.5 lakh 
tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) every 
day.  
Of this, only about 25% is processed, i.e, recycled, 
composted or converted into biogas or 
electricity. 
 The remainder finds its way into dump sites or is 
burned in open areas. 
 Because of increasing population and affluence, 
MSW generation is estimated to reach a 
staggering 4.5 lakh tonnes per day by 2030. 
Page 3


WASTE TO ENERGY  
INTRODUCTION 
Urban India currently produces around 1.5 lakh 
tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) every 
day.  
Of this, only about 25% is processed, i.e, recycled, 
composted or converted into biogas or 
electricity. 
 The remainder finds its way into dump sites or is 
burned in open areas. 
 Because of increasing population and affluence, 
MSW generation is estimated to reach a 
staggering 4.5 lakh tonnes per day by 2030. 
INTRODUCTION 
A waste-to-energy - or energy-from-waste - plant 
converts municipal and industrial solid waste 
into electricity and/or heat for industrial 
processing and for district heating systems – an 
ecologically sound, cost-effective means of 
energy recovery.  
The energy plant works by burning waste at high 
temperatures and using the heat to make steam.  
The steam then drives a turbine that creates 
electricity. 
 
 
Page 4


WASTE TO ENERGY  
INTRODUCTION 
Urban India currently produces around 1.5 lakh 
tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) every 
day.  
Of this, only about 25% is processed, i.e, recycled, 
composted or converted into biogas or 
electricity. 
 The remainder finds its way into dump sites or is 
burned in open areas. 
 Because of increasing population and affluence, 
MSW generation is estimated to reach a 
staggering 4.5 lakh tonnes per day by 2030. 
INTRODUCTION 
A waste-to-energy - or energy-from-waste - plant 
converts municipal and industrial solid waste 
into electricity and/or heat for industrial 
processing and for district heating systems – an 
ecologically sound, cost-effective means of 
energy recovery.  
The energy plant works by burning waste at high 
temperatures and using the heat to make steam.  
The steam then drives a turbine that creates 
electricity. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
The logic put forth to support this technology is 
that instead of spending time and resources 
in segregating waste, the best way is to 
collect unsegregated waste and process them 
in WTE plants using incineration, pyrolysis, 
etc to produce electricity or oil. 
Page 5


WASTE TO ENERGY  
INTRODUCTION 
Urban India currently produces around 1.5 lakh 
tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) every 
day.  
Of this, only about 25% is processed, i.e, recycled, 
composted or converted into biogas or 
electricity. 
 The remainder finds its way into dump sites or is 
burned in open areas. 
 Because of increasing population and affluence, 
MSW generation is estimated to reach a 
staggering 4.5 lakh tonnes per day by 2030. 
INTRODUCTION 
A waste-to-energy - or energy-from-waste - plant 
converts municipal and industrial solid waste 
into electricity and/or heat for industrial 
processing and for district heating systems – an 
ecologically sound, cost-effective means of 
energy recovery.  
The energy plant works by burning waste at high 
temperatures and using the heat to make steam.  
The steam then drives a turbine that creates 
electricity. 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
The logic put forth to support this technology is 
that instead of spending time and resources 
in segregating waste, the best way is to 
collect unsegregated waste and process them 
in WTE plants using incineration, pyrolysis, 
etc to produce electricity or oil. 
TECHNIQUES 
Incineration uses MSW as a fuel, burning it 
with high volumes of air to form carbon 
dioxide and heat to make steam, which is 
then used to generate electricity. 
Biomethanation is a process by which organic 
material is microbiologically converted under 
anaerobic conditions to biogas. 
 It involves fermenting bacteria, organic acid 
oxidizing bacteria, and methanogenic 
archaea.