Is Energy-from-Waste (EfW) using Gasification Bankable?

摘要

Increasing energy demand and regulatory drivers are creating an opportunity for developers to explore energy-from-waste (EfW) projects in many regions of the world. At the same time stricter emission standards are demanding cleaner and more efficient solutions than the traditional mass-burn technologies. This has resulted in the rapid development of gasification technologies for the treatment of waste. However, these technologies are at varying degrees of proven-ness which is creating a challenge for developers to get their projects financed through typical project finance mechanisms. Mott MacDonald, a global engineering consultancy, has undertaken numerous technical due diligence reviews of EfW projects worldwide. Drawing on this global experience this paper discusses the definition of ‘proven technology’ and what it actually means for a technology to be considered ‘proven’. A review of where gasification technology currently lies with respect to typical bankable criteria is presented together with an outline of some of the steps developers can take to improve the ‘bankability’ of their projects.