The trilemma of waste-to-energy: A multi-purpose solution

This paper explores the multi-purpose nature of Waste-to-Energy (WtE), which adheres to three different policies in the EU: 1) waste management; 2) energy union; 3) air quality/climate change. While WtE is subject to different EU policies and must comply with different sets of EU regulatory frameworks, the policies are largely intertwined and share common objectives enabling the achievement of a sustainable European future via the circular economy. With support from the theoretical foundation for the potential to unite climate, energy, and environmental justice, the paper calls for a streamlined policy in the context of WtE. The paper also highlights the value of this linkage from a practical perspective illustrating how these different policies could be bridged through the new technology - the patented micro-scale Home Energy Recovery Unit (HERU), which has been invented to process all unwanted domestic materials and generate energy for the household.