Germany at the forefront of energy from waste: what can the UK learn?

European waste markets all fall under the joint regulatory framework determined by European Union (EU) legislation. Despite this, there are still strong structural differences among the EU-27 countries, such as differences in national quotas for recycling, landfilling and energy from waste (Ef W). In particular, in the most mature markets, it is clear that Ef W contributes significantly to sustainable waste management – not opposing, but complementing, recycling. Comparing the German Ef W market, as a mature market, and the UK market, which can be regarded as a growth market in Ef W, several differences are obvious. These include waste arisings, national legislation, planning frameworks, support instruments, number and size of market participants and the existing Ef W plant structure and technology. MVV Umwelt, with an incineration capacity of 1·4 Mt/year (non-recyclable waste and biomass), is one of the market leaders in Germany, and it has also been active in the UK market since September 2008. In March 2011, it signed a project agreement with the South West Devon Waste Partnership for the design, finance, construction and 25 year operation of an Ef W combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Plymouth. Planning permission for the project was granted in February 2012. The main focus of the company’s operations, not only in Germany but also in UK projects, lies in energy efficiency as well as CHP energy generation.