The waste to energy market has seen considerable growth due to a variety of factors.
• The market for waste-to-energy has seen substantial growth over the past years. It's projected to increase from $37.78 billion in 2024 to $40.29 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth observed in the historical period can be credited to factors such as waste management issues, energy security concerns, regulatory rewards, public consciousness, and urbanization trends.
The Waste To Energy market is expected to maintain its strong growth trajectory in upcoming years.
• The market for waste to energy is anticipated to witness significant expansion in the upcoming years. The growth is projected to reach $54.44 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8%.
The escalation during the forecasted period can be credited to circular economy measures, stricter environmental compliances, universal commitment towards renewable energy, incorporation of technology in waste sorting, and the rise of urban development and waste creation. In the forecasted window, there will be a rising focus on decentralized systems, partnerships between the public and private sectors, technological enhancements, application of non-incineration technologies, and targeted investments in research and development.
The augmentation of proficient waste management is predicted to boost the waste-to-energy market's expansion in the future. This refers to the effective categorization of waste at its origin, ensuring it goes through varied channels of recycling and resource recovery. The most proficient waste management solution is the sustainable waste-to-energy method, producing heat to create electricity. For example, a World Economic Forum article in April 2024, published by a Switzerland-based organization for public-private cooperation, predicted a reduction in municipal solid waste from over 4.5 billion tonnes a year to less than 2 billion tonnes by 2050. Transitioning to a fully zero-waste circular economy model, in which 60% of all municipal waste— garbage collected from households and businesses by local authorities— is recycled, with the remaining managed safely. It's this increase in proficient waste management, which is fuelling the growth of the waste-to-energy market.
The waste to energy market covered in this report is segmented –
1) By Waste Type: Municipal Solid Waste, Agricultural Waste, Other Waste Types
2) By Technology: Thermal, Biochemical, Other Technologies
3) By Application: Heat, Electricity
Subsegments:
1) By Municipal Solid Waste: Household Waste, Commercial Waste, Industrial Waste
2) By Agricultural Waste: Crop Residues, Livestock Manure, Food Processing Waste
3) By Other Waste Types: Biomass Waste, Hazardous Waste, Construction And Demolition Waste, Waste From Landfills
The surge of technological innovations is becoming a notable trend in the waste-to-energy sector. Many major companies within this industry are prioritizing the development of novel technologies in order to maintain a competitive edge. Take for example, Waste Fuel Solutions, a US-based firm specializing in the creation of biorefineries aimed at transforming municipal solid waste into low-carbon fuels. In September 2022, the company unveiled its WasteFuel Methanol technology. This groundbreaking technology is engineered to produce as much as 100 metric tons each day of fuel-grade methanol, using a wide range of waste types like landfill gas and biogas from anaerobic digestion. The process has a modular design aimed at optimizing resource use and facilitating cost-effective, rapid scaling. With the ability to be seamlessly integrated in locations with waste issues, this technology is capable of fulfilling the shipping industry’s escalating demand for green methanol promptly and efficiently.
Major companies operating in the waste to energy market include:
• Veolia Environnement
• Covanta Holding Corporation
• SUEZ
• Waste Management Inc.
• Babcock & Wilcox
• Air Products and Chemicals Inc.
• Hitachi Zosen Corporation
• Wheelabrator Technologies
• Dalkia
• Enerkem
• Siemens
• Tetra Tech
• Viresco Solutions
• Biogas Energy
• CapitaSymonds
• Bioenergy Infrastructure Group
• MRF Solutions
• Plasco Energy Group
• Green Energy Technologies
• Klean Industries
• Amec Foster Wheeler
• RWE AG
• A2A
• Remondis
• O2 Energy
• ReEnergy Holdings
• GWE Biogas
• 8 Rivers Networks
• INDEMA
Europe was the largest region in the waste to energy market share in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the waste to energy market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.