According to research by market research and consulting firm, Pike Research, technological developments, economic conditions, and public policy trends are now aligning to create a significant market opportunity for Waste to Energy (WtE) plants

A new report from the consultants predicts that worldwide revenues from WtE systems will enter a period of strong growth by 2012, increasing from $3.7 billion in 2010 to nearly $13.6 billion by 2016.

Pike Research’s study - Waste to Energy Technology Markets - analyzes the global market opportunity for Waste to Energy technologies as a means of generating electricity and heat from municipal solid waste.

The study includes an examination of economic and market drivers, existing and emerging technology options for WtE, the public policy and regulatory environment, and key industry players. Market forecasts, segmented by geography and technology category, extend through 2016.

Pike Research’s analysis indicates that thermal WtE systems will continue to lead the market with a 93.2% share of total WtE revenues over the next six years, compared to 6.8% for biological systems.

Today, more than 900 thermal WtE plants operate around the world and treat an estimated 200 million tons (181 million tonnes) of MSW with an output of approximately 130 TWh of electricity.

Combustion is currently the leading WtE technology and is entrenched in the market. However, advanced thermal treatment technologies such as plasma-arc gasification are emerging in the market, and biological technologies for treating waste also offer an attractive alternative to thermal WtE methods.

“Waste to Energy plants serve an important dual purpose,” says Pike Research president Clint Wheelock. “They help alleviate the growing municipal solid waste problem, while simultaneously providing much-needed renewable energy and heat sources to local populations. Energy from waste contributes to energy security and diversification, and matches the growing demand for renewable energy in a carbon constrained world.”