International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

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29/09/09
electricity. This type of hybrid support mechanism is fully consistent with the
overall ‘hierarchy of waste’ treatment approach.
Whilst these measures are well-intended, there is no guarantee that, other than
through avoiding landfilling of untreated waste, there might not be a net contribution
to Ireland’s inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. It is not clear whether the
Strategy has actually appreciated this fact. 885
51.6.2 Bioenergy Action Plan
The Bioenergy Action Plan merely reiterates what is stated in the NBS. However, the
Plan states:
The Strategy seeks to maximise the recovery of useful materials and energy
from residual waste and accordingly suggests thermal treatment with energy
recovery as the preferred option followed by mechanical biological treatment
with energy recovery and with mechanical biological treatment of fully
stabilised residue to landfill as a last resort.
To assist in the development of waste to energy projects, REFIT will be
extended to allow support for the renewable portion of mixed renewable and
non-renewable generation. This would allow, for example, a waste to energy
project to obtain support for the renewable portion of the output. This type of
hybrid support mechanism is common in other EU Member States and is fully
consistent with the overall ‘hierarchy of waste’ treatment approach.
This is a slight misrepresentation of the position in the NBS, which does indeed list
preferred options for dealing with residual waste, but it is not clear from the
document that the ordering of this list necessarily represents an explicit order of
preference.
51.6.3 REFIT
The REFIT program was introduced in 2006 and guarantees power prices for all
registered renewable power generators. Although originally intended for new-build
plants, the programme is now being extended to existing plants to promote co-firing of
biomass. The goal is to attract sufficient confidence for investment finance and loan
capital which may not otherwise be provided.
The Irish government will fund the 15-yr guaranteed feed-in tariff in compliance with
the EU Directive on Electricity Production from Renewable Sources, intending to
generate 15% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010, and 33%
885 The RPS Characterisation study suggest that the contribution of plastics in residual household
waste is of the order 13.6%. Combustion of this material would release approximately 360-400kg of
CO2. If the facility generates only electricity, then even if 650kWh electricity, net, is generated per
tonne of waste (this is a high figure), then the CO2 displaced from CCGT sourced electricity will be of
the order 240-260kg CO2 equ. In other words, it is difficult to see how the conclusion could be reached
that this would benefit Ireland’s position in terms of climate change.