Frost & Sullivan: Growing Demand of Biological Waste to Energy Plants

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May 25, 2010, 02:30 ET

LONDON, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The commercialization of innovative and modern biological waste to energy systems and technologies is promoting a new wave of growth in the green energy sector globally. The biological waste to energy plant represents an excellent option to treat biological waste and produce energy. Indeed, many governments acknowledge that these plants are an ideal solution to help fight climate change and guarantee energy independence. Driven by government regulation and support, demand for biological waste to energy plants in the world is growing and the market is becoming more competitive.

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According to new analysis from Frost & Sullivan the market for biological waste to energy plant in Europe – which is the largest in the world - is expected to reach $3.6 billion in 2016 under an optimistic scenario. The German market was worth $998.3 million in 2009 and represented 76.8% of the European market. The market in Germany has grown exponentially over the last 10 years driven by government policies and a supportive banking sector. The same policies are being introduced in other European countries, such as Italy, and we can expect strong growth in these markets over the next 5-10 years.

In other areas of the world the biological waste to energy market is an embryonic stage. Frost & Sullivan Senior Analyst Nuno Oscar Branco says: "In the Asian, North, and South American regions the market remains underdeveloped, for three main reasons: first, governments in these regions have yet to introduce biogas or green energy policies; second, quantity, availability, quality and management of feedstock are not appropriate for investments or long term growth of this market; and finally the biogas industry, mostly European and German based, is not committing resources to develop these markets".

However, the situation is changing in some countries or municipalities where there have been improvements in the business environment for biological waste to energy. In the USA for example, the federal government launched programme AgSTAR that "encourages the use of methane recovery (biogas) technologies (...) reduce methane emissions while achieving other environmental benefits" and in India, the Punjab government, is promoting the construction of modern biological waste to energy plants to supply electricity to the state. "These two examples are evidence to the type of projects likely to take place across the world over the next decades", says Nuno Oscar.

The market potential for biogas generated by anaerobic digestion in a biological waste to energy plant is very high and market growth in some countries of Europe, such as Italy or Czech Republic; North and South America, such as Brazil, USA, Canada; and the Asia Pacific region, such as India and Australia, can be exponential. Companies operating or investing in this industry should weight the risk of missing the expected growth in demand in these countries and draw plans for international expansion and investments.

On this subject Frost & Sullivan has just published a comprehensive study that looks at the global market analyzing the different areas of the world with trends, challenges and forecast. If you are interested in more information and would like to receive a complimentary brochure, please send an e-mail to Chiara Carella, Corporate Communications, at [email protected], with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country.

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