Comparison of Energy Efficiency indicators for Energy-from-Waste Plants

Different energy efficiency indicators for energy-from-waste (EFW) plants operating in combined heat and power (CHP) mode are compared. These include thermodynamic efficiencies like total conversion efficiency and exergy efficiency as well as political performance indicators such as the European R1 criterion, the Dutch SDE efficiency, the efficiency threshold defined in the ?Okostromgesetz Novelle? in Austria and the total conversion efficiency requirements in Switzerland (Stromversorgungsverordnung). Applying these indicators to real plants and models demonstrates the significant influence which the rating factors for heat and electricity exert on the outcome of the efficiency. Plants which focus on heat production can easily achieve high values for all indicators except for exergy efficiency, which is a more location-independent efficiency indicator because it enables the efficiency of plants geared towards generating electricity to compete with plants which focus on heat production.