Nordic Model of Waste-to-Energy Utilization - May 2004

Nordic Model of Waste-to-Energy Utilization - May 2004

In the Nordic countries, initiatives to generate energy from waste are being developed at an advanced level. In Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden, in particular, waste incineration facilities serve as a major source of energy for the cities. For example, Copenhagen's Amarr Resource Center incinerates approximately 400,000 tons of waste annually and provides electricity and heat. The facility is incorporated into a district heating system that supplies waste heat to residential areas, providing electricity to approximately 50,000 households and heating to 120,000 households.

The waste-to-energy conversion efficiency exceeds 42%, and approximately 8,000 tons of metals are recovered annually from the incineration ash. The city of Vesterås in Sweden generates biogas from 200000 tons of food waste per year and uses it to fuel about 100 public buses. This has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 8,000 tons per year.

In Denmark, approximately 94% of waste is recycled or converted to energy, and the landfill rate is less than 3%. In Stockholm, the waste management company Fortum supplies electricity to about 8,000 households each year. In addition, the city imports about 5,000 tons of waste annually from Norway and Finland to ensure a stable supply of incineration energy.

These efforts have improved the energy efficiency of the entire region and significantly reduced the use of fossil fuels. Emissions from the incineration facility are strictly controlled, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are kept below standard levels. This Nordic model is being introduced in Japan as an excellent example of how to support urban functions while reducing environmental impact.