Integrating Carbon Capture into Waste-to-Energy Plants Without Efficiency Losses - Lessons Learnt from the Nordics and Implications for German Facilities

This paper explores how carbon capture can be integrated into thermal waste treatment plants with minimal energy losses - or even efficiency gains

by Moritz Köpcke, Raphael Röcken, Ebbe Hauge and Thomas Kohne

Germany's energy and climate policy is undergoing a transformation. The recent pub- lication of the Carbon Management Strategy (CMS) and the draft legislation on carbon transport and storage (KSPTG) provide, for the first time, a clear political framework for the deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Simultaneously, the Heat Planning Act (WPG), supported by the Federal Funding for Efficient Heating Networks (BEW), is accelerating the decarbonization of district heating systems. These parallel developments present a unique opportunity: the systematic integration of carbon capture (CC) into thermal waste treatment plants (TABS) can not only contribute to climate neutrality but also unlock synergies with heat network planning.

This paper explores how CC can be integrated into TABS with minimal energy losses - or even efficiency gains - by leveraging experiences from Nordic countries and adapting them to the specific conditions of German heating networks. The analysis shows that the efficiency and economic viability of CC in TABS are highly dependent on the temperature levels of district heating systems. Lower return and supply temperatures significantly enhance the potential for direct heat recovery from CC processes.

Case studies from Copenhagen (Amager Bakke) and Malmö (SYSAV) demonstrate that intelligent integration of CC and heat recovery can offset energy losses and even increase total energy output. In Germany, however, high supply temperatures (100 - 130 °C) and return temperatures (≥ 60 °C) limit direct heat recovery, often requiring large-scale heat pumps and additional turbine steam, which increases complexity and cost. 

Techno-economic modelling of a 25 t/h German TAB shows that reducing return temperatures from 55 °C to 40 °C can lower variable CO, avoidance costs by up to 44%. The paper categorizes efficiency measures into solvent optimization, internal heat recovery, and external heat utilization, and highlights the importance of coordinated planning between CC systems and district heating infrastructure.

In conclusion, the integration of CC into TABS - when aligned with low-temperature district heating - can become a key instrument for cost-effective decarbonization. The BEW provides strong incentives for such integration, and successful examples from the Nordics prove its feasibility. A joint master planning approach is essential to realize the full potential of this synergy.

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published: Abfallwirtschaft und Energie Band 3, TK Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 1|2026
Keywords: Energy Recovery, Pollution Control, Sustainability, Climate, Resource management, Mixed Waste, Denmark, Germany, Sweden