ESWET response to the EU Commission’s call for evidence for an EU Heating and Cooling Strategy
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) offers a critical, immediate, and cost-effective solution to decarbonise Europe’s heating and cooling sector. By recovering both renewable and waste heat from the thermal treatment of non-recyclable waste, WtE directly contributes to EU climate and energy targets. The forthcoming EU Heating and Cooling Strategy must recognise the indispensable role of WtE in providing reliable, partially renewable heat, supporting the circular economy, and displacing fossil fuels in district heating and cooling (DHC) networks. ESWET welcomes the Commission’s initiative and urges stronger integration of WtE within the Strategy.
1) Waste-to-Energy in the circular economy
Waste-to-Energy plays a crucial, often underestimated, role in supporting the circular economy by managing residual waste that cannot be prevented, reused, or recycled. WtE complements waste prevention, reuse, and recycling by providing an essential, sanitary, and sustainable solution for managing residual, non-recyclable waste. In so doing, it fully complies with the waste management hierarchy, the fundamental principle established in Article 4 of the Waste Framework Directive,
Beyond simply treating waste, modern WtE facilities are increasingly integrated into circular systems: they recover energy (electricity and heat) that displaces fossil fuels, and their residues (bottom and fly ash) can be processed to recover valuable materials, such as metals and minerals, which are then fed back into industrial supply chains. In addition, WtE diverts waste away from landfills, thus avoiding the consequent methane emissions.