Possibilities of energy recovery from municipal waste

Abstract

The article summarizes possibilities of energy recovery from municipal waste. It describes the history of incineration and energy recovery from municipal waste in Czechoslovakia and then in the Czech Republic. The attention is paid to the three currently operated plants for energy recovery from municipal waste in the Czech Republic (ZEVO Malešice, SAKO Brno and TERMIZO Liberec). The following are the characteristics of the planned plants for energy recovery from municipal waste in the Czech Republic. All these plants operate essentially based on grate boilers with flue gas treatment at the highest technical level. The article also lists other technologies which can be used for energy recovery from municipal waste – these are gasification and pyrolysis units and plasma technology. The conclusion of this contribution is devoted to the current and future situation in the area of energy recovery from municipal waste in the Czech Republic with regard to the applicable legal standards.