EfW sector targets tenfold increase in heat output to 20,000 GWh – resource.co

Report on the Expansion of Energy-from-Waste Heat Networks in the United Kingdom

Introduction: A Strategic Initiative for Sustainable Development

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has launched a strategic initiative to significantly expand the United Kingdom’s heat network capacity connected to Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities. This initiative aims for a tenfold increase in heat output to 20,000 GWh annually, a critical step towards achieving national climate objectives and aligning with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To facilitate this expansion, the ESA has published “Energy-from-Waste Heat Networks: A Guide to Heat Offtake” and an interactive online Heat Network Prospectus, providing essential frameworks and data for developers and operators.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The expansion of EfW heat networks is intrinsically linked to advancing key SDGs by leveraging waste as a resource to create resilient, low-carbon energy systems.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy & SDG 13: Climate Action

This initiative directly supports the transition to sustainable energy and combats climate change by decarbonising the heating sector, which currently accounts for one-third of UK carbon emissions.

• Low-Carbon Energy Source: Heat from EfW facilities is classified as low-carbon, with a carbon intensity of just 0.015 kgCO2e per kWh, contributing significantly to reducing national emissions.
• Decarbonisation Target: The Climate Change Committee mandates that heat networks must supply approximately 20 per cent of UK heat by 2050 to meet net-zero targets.
• Energy Security: By utilising a domestic energy source, EfW heat networks enhance the UK’s energy resilience and security.
• Current Underutilisation: Only 12 of approximately 60 operational EfW facilities currently export heat at scale, highlighting a vast untapped potential for clean energy generation.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities & SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

EfW heat networks are a cornerstone of developing sustainable urban environments and promoting circular economy principles.

1. Sustainable Infrastructure: District heating systems provide efficient and resilient heat infrastructure, particularly effective in dense urban areas.
2. Waste as a Resource: The initiative embodies the principles of SDG 12 by treating non-recyclable waste not as refuse but as a valuable input for an essential industrial process, thereby reducing landfill reliance.
3. Economic Benefits for Communities: Households connected to these networks can achieve substantial savings, estimated between £4,000 and £22,000 over a 25-year period, enhancing urban affordability and reducing fuel poverty.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The development of a national EfW heat network requires significant investment in modern infrastructure and innovative approaches to overcome existing barriers.

• Infrastructure Development: The project focuses on building the critical infrastructure needed to connect EfW facilities to district heating systems.
• Innovative Tools: The ESA’s guide and online prospectus are key innovations designed to streamline the development process, from initial assessment to final contracts.

Barriers and Policy Interventions

Progress has been impeded by several factors, which are now being addressed through targeted government policy designed to de-risk investment and accelerate deployment.

Identified Barriers

• High upfront infrastructure investment costs.
• Uncertainty regarding long-term heat demand.
• Complexity of contractual arrangements between EfW operators and local authorities.

Policy Support: Heat Network Zoning

The government’s heat network zoning policy, implemented from 2025, is a critical enabler. By mandating connections for certain buildings within designated zones, the policy provides the demand certainty required to attract investment and overcome previous limitations, thereby fast-tracking progress towards SDGs 7, 11, and 13.

Technical and Regulatory Framework

The operational viability of the initiative is supported by a clear technical and emerging regulatory framework.

Heat Offtake Technologies

The ESA guide details three primary methods for capturing heat from combustion EfW facilities:

1. Direct Heat Offtake: Diverting steam directly from the electricity production cycle.
2. Flue Gas Recovery: Capturing residual heat from stack emissions.
3. Low-Grade Heat Recovery: Utilising heat pumps to upgrade lower-temperature heat sources.

Regulatory Considerations

From 2028, EfW facilities will be included in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This will require operators to account for fossil-based carbon dioxide emissions, which constitute approximately 50 per cent of the total, further incentivising efficiency and the maximisation of heat recovery for beneficial use.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article focuses on expanding heat networks connected to Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities. This directly relates to providing energy, specifically heat, which is described as a “low-carbon” and “cost-effective” solution. The goal is to increase the supply of this energy source, aligning with the aim of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The development of district heating systems and connecting them to EfW plants is a major infrastructure project. The article discusses the “high upfront infrastructure costs” and the need for new policies like “heat network zoning” to support the build-out of “quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure.”

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article highlights that heat networks are most effective in “dense urban areas.” By providing a more sustainable heating solution and managing municipal waste through EfW facilities, these projects contribute to making cities and human settlements more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The article also notes that heating accounts for a third of UK carbon emissions, and this initiative aims to reduce that environmental impact in cities.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  Energy-from-Waste is a waste management process. The article explains that EfW facilities “primarily provide a waste treatment service,” with heat being a by-product. This process of recovering energy from waste that cannot be recycled is a key component of sustainable production patterns and waste management, contributing to the reduction of waste’s environmental impact.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  A primary driver for the initiative is climate change mitigation. The article explicitly states that the Climate Change Committee requires heat networks to provide 20% of UK heat by 2050 to “reach net zero emissions targets.” The heat from EfW is classified as “low-carbon,” with a specific carbon intensity mentioned, directly addressing the need to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article’s focus on expanding a “low-carbon” heat source from EfW facilities, with a target to increase output tenfold to 20,000 GWh, directly supports this target by increasing the share of alternative, cleaner energy in the UK’s heating sector.
  2. Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. District heating networks that utilize waste heat from an industrial process (EfW) are inherently more energy-efficient than individual heating systems. The article contrasts the UK’s low adoption (under 3%) with Denmark (64%) and Sweden (53%), implying a significant potential for efficiency gains by expanding these networks.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  1. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being. The article is entirely about developing heat network infrastructure, which is described as a “resilient solution.” The potential for household savings shows its contribution to human well-being.
  2. Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The initiative involves retrofitting existing EfW facilities (an industry) to capture and export heat, a clear example of increasing resource-use efficiency by utilizing a by-product that would otherwise be wasted.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  1. Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to… municipal and other waste management. The article addresses this by promoting a method of municipal waste management (EfW) and using its output to reduce the carbon emissions from heating, which constitutes a third of the UK’s total emissions, a significant portion of which comes from cities.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  1. Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. EfW facilities contribute to this target by recovering energy from residual waste streams. Capturing heat is a form of energy recovery, which is a key part of the waste hierarchy, ensuring value is derived from materials that cannot be recycled.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  1. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article mentions the “government’s heat network zoning policy” and the Climate Change Committee’s targets for heat networks as essential measures for the UK to “reach net zero emissions targets.” This demonstrates the integration of climate action into national energy and infrastructure planning.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  • Amount of low-carbon heat produced: The article provides a baseline of “1,949 GWh of heat” exported in 2024 and a target of “20,000 GWh annually.” This is a direct indicator for measuring the increase in clean energy supply.
  • Percentage of heat demand met by heat networks: The article states that heat networks currently serve “less than three per cent of heat demand nationally.” Progress can be measured against this baseline, with the Climate Change Committee’s goal of “approximately 20 per cent of UK heat by 2050” serving as a long-term target.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  • Number of EfW facilities connected to heat networks: The article states that “only 12 of approximately 60 operational UK EfW facilities export heat at scale.” An increase in this number would be a clear indicator of infrastructure development and industrial retrofitting.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Household savings on energy bills: The article cites research indicating that “households connected to heat networks could save between £4,000 and £22,000 on heating bills over a 25-year period.” This financial metric can be used as an indicator of the positive economic impact on urban populations.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Amount of heat recovered per tonne of waste: While not explicitly stated as a single metric, the total heat exported (“1,949 GWh”) relative to the total waste processed (mentioned in a linked article) can serve as an indicator of resource recovery efficiency from waste streams.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  • Carbon intensity of heat: The article specifies the carbon intensity of heat from EfW facilities as “0.015 kgCO2e per kWh.” This is a direct indicator of the technology’s low-carbon credentials and can be used to calculate total emissions reductions as the networks expand.
  • Reduction in national carbon emissions from heating: The article establishes that “Heating accounts for a third of UK carbon emissions.” The overall reduction in this figure, driven by the expansion of low-carbon heat networks, would be a key indicator of progress towards net-zero targets.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: resource.co