WIREDGOV

The potential energy from waste that cannot be reused or recycled has been quantified for the first time in a new report which highlights opportunities from the use of various waste to energy technologies.

It shows:

• Heat only plants could meet six per cent of Scotland's existing heat needs
• Electricity production in energy from waste facilities could meet eight per cent of Scotland's existing electricity demand
• Combined heat and power waste treatment plants could meet three per cent of Scotland's total heat and electricity demand

Energy Minister Jim Mather said:

"Our Zero Waste Plan outlines how we can all prevent waste, increase recycling and reuse valuable resources. Yet energy from waste has a part to play in a low carbon society where all efforts have been made to reduce, re-use and recycle valuable resources that would otherwise be buried in landfill.

"This useful report highlights the potentially significant contribution of waste to our heat and electricity needs. Electricity only generation is, however, generally wasteful due to the loss of heat to the atmosphere so care must be taken to ensure we get the maximum energy output from waste by utilising heat wherever possible."

Professor Jan Bebbington, Vice Chair of Sustainable Development Commission Scotland who compiled the report, said:

"Strong performance in waste minimisation and recycling can go hand in hand with the use of energy from waste as part of an integrated strategy. This SDC Scotland report shows what the potential is and helps the Scottish Government's Zero Waste aspiration move forward. We believe the potential for energy from waste can be developed as part of creating low carbon communities across Scotland."

Councillor Alison Hay, COSLA's Regeneration and Sustainable Development Spokesperson said:

"Energy from waste can provide a valuable contribution to sustainable development, the delivery of a low carbon Scottish economy and the achievement of zero waste in Scotland. COSLA believes that energy from waste has an essential part to play along with waste prevention, re-use and recycling activities in a zero waste society.

"The report's identification of the various heat and/or electricity generation scenarios is welcomed. We see energy from waste include direct combustion as well as the creation and use of biogas. In either case the efficient use of heat and/or electricity locally will be important. However, the exact choice of energy from waste plant should be arrived at locally, where an analysis shows that such an approach achieves the smallest carbon emissions."

The Energy from Waste Potential in Scotland report is available at: The report was commissioned by the Scottish Government for the Renewable Heat Implementation Group. The report takes existing and planned waste targets into consideration. More information on the Scottish Government's approach to zero waste is at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/waste-and-pollution/Waste-1/

The Scottish Government's Zero Waste Plan is at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/waste-and-pollution/Waste-1/wastestrategy

Scottish Government targets are to meet 50 per cent of electricity demand from renewables by 2020 and 11 per cent of heat from renewables by 2020.

Related Information