Industry Brief: Waste-to-Energy

This 2021 GreenCape industry brief outlines waste-to-energy (WtE) options for businesses in South Africa, focusing on anaerobic digestion, thermal processes, and biofuels. It highlights the potential for reduced waste costs and improved energy security while detailing the complex legislative framework (including NEM:WA and NERSA) and the necessary project development stages from scoping to execution. The document emphasizes that while WtE can be expensive in isolation, it becomes viable when integrated as a collective solution for waste and energy management.

• Waste-to-energy solutions are categorized into three main types: anaerobic digestion (biogas), thermal waste-to-energy, and biofuels. Anaerobic digestion processes organic waste and wastewater into biogas for heat, electricity, or transport fuel. Thermal solutions, including incineration, pyrolysis, and gasification, process high-calorific, low-moisture residues to generate heat, electricity, or oil-based by-products. Biofuels convert energy crops, wood-based residues, and fats into alternatives to petroleum diesel and ethanol.
• Implementing waste-to-energy can provide businesses with financial and operational advantages, including lower waste management costs because gate fees for these solutions are often cheaper than landfill fees. Additionally, on-site beneficiation can reduce logistic costs, decrease reliance on the utility provider's grid, and improve energy security.

APA

GreenCape (2021). Industry Brief: Waste-to-Energy. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Waste-to-Energy_Industry-Brief_26-07-2021-3.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Industry Brief: Waste-to-Energy. 2021. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Waste-to-Energy_Industry-Brief_26-07-2021-3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Industry Brief: Waste-to-Energy |date=2021 |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Waste-to-Energy_Industry-Brief_26-07-2021-3.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencape2021industry, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Industry Brief: Waste-to-Energy}}, institution = {GreenCape}, year = {2021}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Waste-to-Energy_Industry-Brief_26-07-2021-3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }