This study focuses on the evaluation of impacts of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) on the emissions position of waste incineration plants and the evaluation of useful flexible mechanisms according to the Kyoto Protocol with the aim of pushing the cost efficient reduction of greenhouse gases in those installations. The knowledge of climate affecting greenhouse gases, of energy efficiency potentials and of the relevance of different energy efficiency measures is essential for an in-depth evaluation.Therefore, a methodology for the determination of the relevance of different energy efficiency measures has been developed in connection with an evaluation of the current state of art. The methodology is based on a matrix determination. The results of Wünsch (2011), regarding specific energy efficiency measures, and their related implementation costs have been considered in order to deduce the cost efficiency of different measures, which is essential for the determination of EU ETS impacts on waste incineration plants and the realisation of projectbased mechanisms.According to this evaluation, climate affecting CO2 emissions in the range of 6.9 million Mg to 10.4 million Mg are caused by the incineration processes in German waste incineration plants.This means a share of 1% of total CO2 emissions in Germany. Most of the German wasteincineration plants are operated by strongly reduced amounts of fossil fuels as most technical configurations are based on the use of steam that is generated by the incineration process. The use of steam inside the installation boundaries results in lower energy deliveries to public districtheating systems and a reduced substitution of fossil fuels outside the installation boundaries. However, it leads to higher utilization ratios for those installations that are not connected to public district heating systems. CO2 emissions caused by waste incineration plants mainly result from the transformation of the carbon content of wastes to carbon dioxide during the incineration process. Climate affecting CO2 emissions from the incineration process could only be reduced by waste containing less carbon. Hence, the reduction potential of direct CO2 emissions in waste incineration plants is limited.However, there are more essential potentials regarding the energy delivery to public district heating systems or other steam/heat consuming plants and installations and, related to this, the substitution of fossil fuels. Beside the increasing connection to public district heating systems, heat recovery for drying sludge or wood could be a sensible technical concept in order to ensure efficient energy generation with those fuels with higher water content.Although a lot of technical energy efficiency measures have been conducted in waste incineration plants in the past, GHG emissions could be reduced by 2.1 to 4.1 million Mg CO2e/yr according to the results of this study. Wünsch (2011) has shown a further GHG reduction potential by energy efficiency measures which were explored in his study.The energy efficiency measures considered have been categorised by their reduction potential and their need for realisation. Based on available data, the following measures show the highest potential: heat recovery from waste gases emitted to the atmosphere, increase of the energetic utilization and boiler efficiency.Continuous emissions metering systems are available on the market and can provide reliable data for CO2 emissions. But only the total amount of CO2 emissions can be measured. The share of climate affecting and climate neutral CO2 emissions cannot be determined by those measurements. Hence, the evaluation of climate affecting CO2 emissions which are relevant for an emissions trading scheme can not be conducted with reasonable costs and effort. The results of this study show significant gaps between measured, flat-rate values (50% of total CO2 emissions) and CO2 emissions that are calculated by standard emission factors derived bysampling analyses. Hence, an installation specific evaluation of the biogen share of waste by regular samplings and analyses of the heating value would be necessary. Since waste is a very inhomogenous fuel, ensuring representative data through monitoring and sampling would be a very ambitious procedure.Because of the waste disposal law in Germany and the dependancy on treated waste amounts and waste compositions, positive and negative financial effects of a free allocation of certificates can occur which cannot be influenced by the operator. If free allocation shall be continued in further trading periods, a specific solution for waste incineration plants must be implemented that considers the waste disposal law. This could be managed by, for example, the allocation of certificates based on one tonne of treated waste with due regard to the waste’s composition. This would lead to specific allocation procedures for waste incineration plants implemented inthe European Monitoring and Reporting Regulation.The reduction potentials of direct CO2 emissions in waste incineration plants are limited. CO2 emission reductions can only be realised by substituting the fossil energy used for the technical processes. Those reduction potentials are nearly exhausted in German waste incineration plants. Hence, in case of including waste incineration plants in the European Emissions Trading Scheme, operators may not be able to fulfil emission reductions as defined by the European Monitoring and Reporting Regulation. Even if the legislator created exceptions of the yearlyreduction obligations for waste incineration plants deficits of certificates could occur because of the development of waste amounts. Since no credits, that is additional certificates free of charge, can be received for the substituted energy, the current European Emissions Trading Scheme does not deal with the relevant processes in waste incineration plants effectively and does not stimulate emissions reduction measures. However, credits could be generated by the project based mechanisms Joint Implementation (JI), Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or similar mechanisms which are directly linked to the European Emissions Trading Scheme. If the energy efficiency of waste incineration plants increases, less energy is needed for the installation itself. Hence, additional steam or electricity can be delivered to public district heating systems or the electricity grid and substitutes regularfossil generated energy. The project based mechanisms consider emission reductions caused by the substitution of fossil fuels. But new methodologies would be necessary to regulate the calculation of CO2 emission reductions and the proof of additionality in the case of waste incineration. That means, some efforts and costs before the implementation of the project itself but does not lead to a negative assessment of those mechanisms. But even if you do not consider regular operation and maintenance costs the waste incineration process is too expensive compared to landfill gas projects. That is why those projects are widely established in the market of Kyoto mechanism while waste incineration does not play any role. Over the last three years another problem has arisen: the certificate prices. The implementation of project based mechansims and the realisation of CO2 emission reductions measures is closely linked to the actual certificate prices. Reduction measures are going to be realised if additional credits emerge by the generated certificates considering the current fuel prices on the market and an increased energy revenue. Because of the declining certificate prices in the last three years, project based mechanisms have not stimulated efficiency measures in any kind of installation. Additionally, the continuation of those kinds of project based mechanisms is veryuncertain. Hence, there are no alternative mechanisms to stimulate efficiency measures at the moment. The evaluation of climate affecting greenhouse gases caused by waste incineration plants is still difficult since the biogenic ratio of waste can only be determined with higher effort. A reliable data base is necessary for an evaluation of the actual contribution to climate protection and efficiency potentials of waste incineration plants. There is further need for research. If waste incineration plants should be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme, different determination procedures could be combined. For example, the balancing method of the Technical University Vienna could be used as the main determination procedure for the biogenic carbon content of waste. Additionally, the results of the balancing method could be cross-checked by regular chemical determination procedures. With this approach the ongoing monitoring process could be reduced without impacting accuracy requirements, which should bespecifically geared to each plant. The currently established thermal waste treating procedures, in particular waste incineration plants, will also rate highly in German waste management in the future. Due to the high requirements on the substitute fuels used for co-incineration in coal-fired power plants or cement works, considerable amounts of waste flow to the classic waste incineration plants. Hence, the classic waste incineration plants will also be a necessary way of disposal in the future, and energy generated by the incineration process, should be used as efficiently as possible. Efficiency measures must be promoted by appropriate assistance measures because of their usually long payback period. In addition to the primarily targeting aim of waste reduction, thermal waste treatment can ensure the necessary waste disposal guarantee for amounts of waste which can not be avoided or recycled. In order to ensure a treatment of waste with the best available technique, the promotion of energy efficiency measures in the thermal waste treatment sector should be supported.

Dissertation, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, 2016; Aachen 1 Online-Ressource (202, A1-A38 Seiten) : Illustrationen, Diagramme (2016). doi:10.18154/RWTH-2016-10899 = Dissertation, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, 2016

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