Global waste levels are increasing and are expected to reach 2.59 billion tonnes in 2030, up 29% from 2016. Today, merely 19% of all waste is recycled or composted. The rest is incinerated (11%), sent to landfills (37%) or openly dumped (33%).
With increasing waste levels also comes increasing carbon emissions from incineration and methane emissions from the decay of organic waste. In total, solid waste is estimated to account for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Insufficient waste management is a missed opportunity to extract materials and energy from the valuable resources in waste. In Ørsted, we see waste from households and industrial production as an important resource.
With increasing waste levels also comes increasing carbon emissions from incineration and methane emissions from the decay of organic waste. In total, solid waste is estimated to account for about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Insufficient waste management is a missed opportunity to extract materials and energy from the valuable resources in waste. In Ørsted, we see waste from households and industrial production as an important resource.
Partnering with industry leaders to fuel a circular economy
Inaugurated in 2018, the Kalundborg industrial biogas plant in Denmark is our first co-owned industrial waste plant. Kalundborg Bioenergi handles industrial waste from two large corporate partners, Novo Nordisk and Novozymes. The plant converts residual waste from insulin and enzyme production to biogas, which is sent into the gas grid, replacing natural gas.
Making energy of household waste with Renescience
The concept behind our waste treatment technology, Renescience, is to prevent household waste from going to landfills by transforming the waste into energy and recyclable materials. Renescience is an innovative technology in the sense that it has the potential to process waste into biogas and recyclable materials, such as metals and plastics, through enzyme treatment and mechanical sorting.
Download and learn
Read more about our waste-to-energy technology on pages 17-18 in the sustainability report.
| A world that runs entirely on green energy | Enabling sustainable growth | Business integrity |
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In Ørsted, we want to help accelerate the transformation away from fossil fuels to green energy. In 2018, we have increased our buildout targets for offshore wind to 15GW by 2025, enough to power more than 30 million people. |
When sourced sustainably, biomass reduces carbon emissions significantly compared to coal and gas. Sustainable biomass is therefore a crucial stepping stone towards a fossil-free society. Read more |
In a modern fast-paced culture, it is crucial to actively support employees to counter stress and burn-out.
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Accelerating the global green energy transformation
Replacing fossil fuels with sustainable biomass
A healthy working life in a busy world