Waste-to-Energy Plant EPC — Municipal and Industrial Waste
Waste-to-energy solves two problems at once — it disposes of waste and generates dispatchable power from it.
Waste-to-energy projects live or die on waste characterisation. Calorific value, moisture, inert content and seasonal variation determine whether the plant can hold steam flow without supplementary fuel — and whether the economics survive contact with reality.
We design for the waste that will actually arrive, including the first year when waste composition is often wetter and lower in calorific value than the design case. Flue gas treatment is sized for the local emission standard from the outset, because retrofitting it later is prohibitively expensive.
Where this plant type fits
- Municipal solid waste — City-scale plants from 200 to 1,000 tonnes per day with grid export.
- Industrial and commercial waste — Factories and industrial parks disposing of process residue on site.
- Refuse-derived fuel — RDF production and combustion for cement kilns and power plants.
- Medical and hazardous waste — Smaller rotary kiln plants with full flue gas cleaning.
Quick facts
Typical project duration and full scope detail are set out below. For a specific site, ask us for a preliminary configuration.
Request a quoteTypical technical range
Values below are the range we design within. The final specification follows the fuel analysis and site conditions.
| Parameter | Range / Description |
|---|---|
| Capacity range | 3 – 50 MW (200 – 1,000 t/day) |
| Combustion | Moving grate or circulating fluidised bed |
| Waste LHV design range | 6 – 12 MJ/kg |
| Flue gas treatment | Semi-dry scrubber, activated carbon injection, bag filter; SCR optional |
| Emission standard | Designed to EU 2010/75/EU or local equivalent |
| Bottom ash | Recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals; ash disposal plan required |
| Typical construction period | 20 – 32 months |
What is in and what is out
An explicit boundary is the difference between a quotation and a contract. This is the standard split for a waste-to-energy plants project.
- Waste characterisation and mass-burn study
- Plant design including waste bunker and feeding
- Boiler, turbine and generator supply
- Complete flue gas treatment system
- Residue handling and metal recovery
- Erection, commissioning and emission performance test
- Waste collection, transport and gate-fee arrangements
- Landfill for residues
- Environmental permitting and public consultation
- District heating network
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often on this subject. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
What waste calorific value do you need?
Do not go below 6 MJ/kg as an annual average — below that, the plant will need continuous supplementary fuel and the business case collapses. We insist on a twelve-month sampling programme rather than a single-week analysis.
How do you meet emission standards?
Semi-dry scrubbing with lime, activated carbon injection for dioxins and heavy metals, and a bag filter is the baseline configuration. Where local standards require it, we add SCR for NOx. The treatment train is sized for the guaranteed emission limit, not the typical value.
What happens to the ash?
Bottom ash is roughly 20–25% of input mass by weight. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals are recovered and the remainder is typically landfilled or used as aggregate where permitted. Ash disposal must be arranged before financial close — it is a common cause of delay.
Other solutions that may fit
Biomass Power Plants
We build biomass power plants that run on the fuel you already have — palm oil residue, rice husk, sugarcane bagasse, wood chips or mixed agricultural waste.
View solution →Coal & Thermal Power Plants
Circulating fluidised bed technology for local coals, low-grade fuels and applications where fuel flexibility matters more than headline efficiency.
View solution →Tell us what you need to build.
Send us the fuel type, target capacity and site country. We will reply with a preliminary configuration, an indicative budget range and the questions we still need answered.