Research and Innovation Needs for the Waste-To-Energy Sector towards a Net-Zero Circular Economy

Alessandro Dal Pozzo (), Mathieu Lucquiaud and Johan De Greef
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Alessandro Dal Pozzo: Laboratory of Industrial Safety and Environmental Sustainability, Alma Mater Studiorum—Università di Bologna, Via Terracini n.28, 40131 Bologna, Italy
Mathieu Lucquiaud: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sir Frederick Mappin Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
Johan De Greef: ChEMaRTS, Leuven Group T Campus, Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: This perspective article aims to identify key research priorities to make the waste-to-energy sector compatible with the societal goals of circularity and carbon neutrality. These priorities range from fundamental research to process engineering innovations and socio-economic challenges. Three focus areas are highlighted: (i) the optimization of flue gas cleaning processes to minimize gaseous emissions and cross-media, (ii) the expansion of process control intelligence to meet targets for both material recovery and energy recovery, and (iii) climate neutrality, with the potential for negative emissions via the removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide across the full cycle of the waste resource. For each area, recent research trends and key aspects that are yet to be addressed are discussed.

Keywords: municipal solid waste; waste management; net zero; decarbonization; material recovery; energy from waste; carbon capture and storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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