Waste to Energy : Shaping the future of sustainable thermal waste and sewage sludge treatment
Our state-of-the-art solutions are key drivers of the circular economy and play a vital role in protecting human health. Only waste that cannot be recycled, has reached the end of its recyclability, or is contaminated and would pollute the recycling streams if not removed is fed into the WtE process - in strict adherence to the European waste hierarchy. The WtE process enables valuable energy and materials to be recovered from waste. The steam produced during incineration can be converted into electricity and heat to supply local households, public institutions and businesses with energy. Around half of the energy contained in waste is of biogenic origin and therefore renewable. By exploiting this potential for renewable energy, fewer climate-damaging conventional fuels are needed to meet energy requirements. In Europe, WtE plants supply millions of citizens with renewable energy, substitute fossil fuels, and support decarbonization targets.
Sewage sludge contains significant amounts of phosphorus, identified by the EU as a critical raw material. Its efficient recovery is only feasible through dedicated mono-incineration. Incinerating sewage sludge at high temperatures destroys organic contaminants such as endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics. If sewage sludge is landfilled or spread on agricultural land, these hazardous substances remain in the environment and can enter the food chain, posing risks to human health. Additionally, the steam generated by sludge incineration is used for the energy autonomous operation of the facility and can also be harnessed to provide electricity and district heating, further maximizing the environmental benefit.
Doosan Lentjes offers a comprehensive portfolio of proprietary technologies for the thermal treatment of waste and sewage sludge, delivering tailor-made plants for each application. For WtE, we provide robust grate-based combustion systems, while our solutions for sewage sludge feature advanced bubbling bed furnaces. For both applications, we supply high-efficiency steam generators and BREF-compliant FGC systems, ensuring reliable performance and full compliance with European emission standards.
A cornerstone of our offering is the modular FGC toolbox, comprising processes such as semi-dry Circoclean®, dry FER-DI®, wet scrubbers, dust separation, NOx reduction technologies, heat recovery, as well as flue gas condensation systems. These processes can be flexibly combined and precisely tailored to individual project requirements – across both WtE and sewage sludge applications.
Our expertise is demonstrated by recent flagship projects: In Olsztyn, Poland, Doosan Lentjes delivered a turnkey WtE facility processing over 120,000 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel per year. The facility features advanced water-cooled grate technology and a high-performance Circoclean® FGC system, ensuring full compliance with revised BREF emission limits and supporting the expansion of the region’s waste management infrastructure. Meanwhile, in Ghent, Belgium, Doosan Lentjes is currently installing one of Europe’s largest mono-incineration plants for sewage sludge. This state-of-the-art facility located in the port of Ghent will treat 65,000 tonnes (dry substance) of sludge, maximize energy efficiency, enable phosphorus recovery from ash, and ensure full compliance with strict EU emission standards.
Doosan Lentjes solutions are trusted for their reliability, long service life, energy efficiency, and compliance with the most stringent regulations - as proven by plants across the globe.