Waste to wealth: why China is building incinerators around the world
China’s economic slowdown has left its waste-to-energy sector without enough trash to burn. So, companies are heading overseas
China’s businesses have emerged as global players in a string of industries in recent years – from electric cars to solar panels. Now, the country is rapidly gaining a foothold in another field: waste processing.
Six months ago, Chinese companies had been involved in 79 overseas waste incineration projects spanning Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, according to a government-supported non-profit organisation. By the end of November, that figure had jumped to 101.
China’s waste-to-energy industry is undergoing a leap “from exporting mere technology to delivering a complete package of technology, standards, management and capital”, said Guo Yungao, secretary-general of the All-China Environment Federation’s energy and environment committee.
Waste-to-energy firms convert municipal solid waste into electricity through high-temperature incineration, earning revenue through fees paid by local governments and selling the generated power.