The key to efficient heat and power production is co-generation, which minimises unnecessary loss of energy by maximising the useful applications of the surplus heat in the system. No cooling towers are needed since the surplus heat is used to warm households and businesses instead. Swedish waste-to-energy plants are highly efficient as they transform more than 90 % of the energy in the incoming waste into useful heat and power.

Waste-to-energy plants operate as base load plants and must therefore be able to deliver a very high level of energy assurance. With this, added to the fact that the plant is fuelled by a renewable and locally generated fuel, waste-to-energy plants represent one of the most reliable energy supplies that the market can offer.

Establishing waste-to-energy in co-generation plants offers both competitively priced heating and renewable power.

Heat from Usitall’s waste-to-energy plants is always competitively priced with the aim to eliminate the need of any subsidies. This can be achieved with an efficient project development process thanks to the extensive knowledge and experience within the company. The heat can either be sold to district heating grids or used in industrial processes.

Waste-based power is classified as renewable and may qualify for publicly initiated renewable energy support schemes.

The EU renewable energy directive 2009/28/EC stipulates a series of demanding climate and energy targets to be met by 2020, known as the 20-20-20 targets. The objective in this directive is to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20 % compared to 1990, stimulate the use of 20 % renewable resources in EU energy consumption and improve energy efficiency by reducing primary energy use by 20 % in comparison to projected levels.