European Waste-to- Energy Plant Market

This Frost & Sullivan research service titled European Waste-to-Energy Plant Market provides a comprehensive industry overview, market challenges, market forces, revenue forecasts by geographic regions and technology, competitive structure of the market and market share analysis. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the following: number of waste-to- energy plants commissioned, technology used in waste-to-energy plants, treatment capacity added and revenues generated.

Market Overview

Landfill Directive Set Solid Foundation for Expansion of the European Waste-to-Energy Market

The Landfill Directive has compelled European countries to start shifting from the conventional method of dumping waste in landfills towards alternate treatment methods. In this context, waste-to-energy plants are seen as suitable alternatives to landfills because of their ability to treat large quantities of waste.

“The most important driver for the waste-to-energy plants market in Europe has been the Landfill Directive and its waste diversion targets,” notes the analyst of this research. “This has resulted in the diversion of waste from landfills to waste-to-energy plants.” Countries such as France and Germany have the largest number of waste-to-energy plants. Such plants have facilitated the effective treatment of waste diverted from landfills, enabling these countries to successfully reach their landfill diversion targets. In addition to the Landfill Directive, the growing demand for power paralleled by volatile oil prices has made waste-to-energy plants a viable alternative for the disposal of waste.

However, the delay in obtaining environmental and other permits has restrained the growth of this market considerably. “The process of obtaining an environmental permit for the construction of a waste-to-energy plant is quite tedious and a substantial amount of time is spent on it,” cautions the analyst. “The delay in obtaining these permits affects the price of raw materials and, thereby, the overall revenues.”

At the same time, the current economic slowdown will influence the prospects for market expansion. The slowdown will restrict the amount of investment flowing into the waste-to-energy plants business. The drop in investments will undoubtedly affect plants that are in the planning stage and that are on the look out for finance. This could result in projects getting delayed or postponed by a year or two.