OPTIMIZATION OF THE FINAL WASTE TREATMENT SYSTEM IN THE NETHERLANDS

The potential for optimizing, in both economic and energetic terms, th e final waste treatment system in the Netherlands is evaluated in the light of the performance of new technologies. Projections of the final waste supply and waste treatment technologies are combined to constru ct several scenarios for waste treatment in the year 2010. Technologie s include processes currently in the demonstration or pilot phase. It is concluded that final waste treatment could be performed at lower co st and with substantially greater energy recovery than at present. In a minimum cost scenario, the final waste treatment might cost 300-600 MECU/year, compared to 1000-1600 MECU/year in a reference scenario, on the assumption that conventional, but improved waste treatment techno logies are used. A maximum energy recovery scenario might save 80-90 P J primary energy per year compared to 39-47 PJ/year for the reference case. Two major competing technologies are gasification, both for biom ass waste and integral waste, and fluidized bed incineration. Further development of these technologies integrated with electricity producti on is recommended. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.