Efficiency Hierarchy and Optimization of Waste Incineration in China to Balance Disposal and Energy Supply

Waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration offers a dual solution to the challenges of growing municipal solid waste and energy shortages. Persistently low energy efficiency (EEs) limits its potential and blurs the distinction between waste disposal and energy generation. Here, we present a first-hand national database of 975 WTE plants and 2,151 incineration lines across China, revealing that WTE electricity potential of residential consumption in 2023. We propose a three-tiered classification of WTE facilities based on EEs to distinguish disposal-oriented, energy-recovery, and green energy plants. Projections under five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways of energy recovery were developed.