The Brazilian Association for Energy Recovery from Waste (ABREN) concluded last Saturday (5/10) the second edition of the International Program for Decarbonization of the Waste Sector of BR-USA, held from September 28 to October 5 in the United States. One of the most prominent commitments was the Brazilian delegation that attended President of Abrin, Yuri ShmetkyThis is correct Senator Rosanna Martinelli (PL-MT)among other participants, participated in a visit to the waste-to-energy plant in West Palm Beach, Florida, at the biannual WtERT®️ conference and in meetings with representatives from UNEP/UN, the World Bank, and from the Organization of American States Development Bank (Islamic Development Bank).
On Monday (30), the Brazilian delegation visited the waste-to-energy plant in West Palm Beach. The plant features the use of solid waste to generate energy, which directly contributes to decarbonization efforts in the waste sector. The plant, which uses technology from ABREN subsidiary Babcock & Wilcox Renewable, processes 5,000 tonnes of urban solid waste per day and has the capacity to supply 150,000 homes. The factory received an investment of $700 million, and is considered one of the stations with the best system for treating air emissions in the world.
On Tuesday (the first), the delegation participated in a meeting with Ligia Noronha, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and a meeting with Ambassador Norberto Moretti, Permanent Alternate. Representative of Brazil to the United Nations. Discussions revolved around the benefits of biogas, biomethane and energy recovery to reduce methane emissions, including as a more sustainable solution than landfills, especially due to the higher potential to reduce methane emissions compared to other solutions.
On the same date, the delegation participated in a lecture by the President of WtERT, Prof. Dr. Huang Cunxing, from Columbia University, with discussions on the huge potential of waste-to-energy and China’s rapid growth in the sector, which today has its own technologies, patents and more than 1,000 plants in commercial operation.
On Thursday, the delegation participated in the semi-annual conference of WtERT, at the City College of New York. The CEO of ABREN gave a presentation to the audience on the potential of waste-to-energy plants to reduce methane emissions, with a focus on Brazil. According to the executive, “The country has the capacity to build up to 130 waste energy recovery plants (UREs), but we still do not have any such plant in operation. Only one is under construction and is expected to become operational. In January 2027.”
On Friday (4), the delegation participated in meetings in Washington with representatives of the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in the presence of representatives of the Brazilian Embassy in Washington. In both commitments, ABREN showcased the full potential of energy recovery from waste in Brazil, as well as biogas and biomethane, so that the country will be able to process its urban and agricultural solid waste and increase investments in the order of R$ 500 billion in the next few years.
The association also presented data showing that it is necessary to advance this agenda to reduce deaths resulting from poor waste management in Brazil. The country’s public health costs could be significantly reduced with the correct treatment of solid waste, Abrin explained.
According to Senator Rosanna Martinelli, “The discussions and meetings in which we participated were of great importance so that we could bring to Brazil the possibility of advancing the issue of solid waste management based on energy recovery. We need to advance technologies that contribute to reducing methane, and the talks that We made an assignment for future partnership possibilities.
For Yuri Shmetky, “The mission carried out in the United States was excellent. We were able to participate in very important commitments with many international bodies, and we returned to Brazil with a sense of accomplishment. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Senator Rosanna Martinelli for leading this mission with us, with the aim of bringing investments to Brazil to generate energy from waste, which will contribute significantly to the decarbonization of the country.
About the International Waste Sector Decarbonization Program BR-USA
The second edition of the International Program for Decarbonization of the Waste Sector of BR-USA is implemented by the Brazilian Association for Energy Recovery from Waste (ABREN). The program aims to strengthen cooperation between Brazil and the United States in the field of energy recovery and sustainable waste management.
A large portion of global greenhouse gas emissions comes from methane. In Brazil, 90% of gas emissions come from the agricultural sector and landfills. In this way, generating energy from waste partially or completely avoids these emissions, which is essential for the country to reach the goals of the Global Methane Pledge by 2030. The program also highlights the importance of biogas and biomethane projects, which can capture and use methane, and mitigate From its climate impact, promoting energy recovery, and completely eliminating methane emissions from urban solid waste and agriculture.
During the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), held in 2021, Brazil signed the Global Methane Pledge, committing to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, compared to 2020 levels. To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to reduce About 605 thousand tons of methane by 2030, which requires the solid waste sector to reach the maximum emissions of 1.41 million tons of methane by that date. However, data from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) show that methane emissions in Brazil have increased significantly in recent years, with the “final disposal” sector showing the highest absolute and relative growth: 52% in the last 15 years (2005 -2020).
The program also places special emphasis on recovering energy from waste as a vital source of electricity. Through participation in the WtERT biannual conference at City College, and a special lecture with the President of WtERT at the Columbia Climate Center in New York, the Brazilian delegation participated in discussions on how these technologies can be applied more broadly in Brazil. Alignment with international waste management practices.
The agenda also included lectures and discussions on how waste conversion can not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also generate enough electricity to supply entire communities, enhancing energy security.
These commitments are strategic to ensure the necessary technical and financial support for Brazil to continue progressing in the development of waste energy recovery technologies, contributing to achieving the country’s climate goals and generating new jobs and sustainable economic growth.
About WtERT®
The World Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WtERT®), founded by Columbia University in 2002, is a global non-profit association dedicated to research in waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies. With members from 30 countries, including engineers, scientists, governments and academia, WtERT® is distinguished by promoting the economic and environmental progress of waste-to-energy technologies. The organization has a strong presence in global policy-making forums, sharing knowledge on sustainable practices such as recycling, composting and generating energy from waste. WtERT® has also been recognized for its contribution to science and technology, participating in important initiatives such as drafting the waste management section in the 2015 IPCC assessment report, and collaborating with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in creating a guide on sustainable waste management in cities in Latin America and the Caribbean .
About Abrin:
The Brazilian Association for Energy Recovery from Waste (ABREN) is a national non-profit entity, whose mission is to promote dialogue between the private sector and public institutions, at the national and international levels, and at all levels of government. ABREN represents companies, consultants and manufacturers in the field of energy recovery, recycling and reverse logistics equipment for solid waste, with the aim of promoting studies, research, events and searching for legal and regulatory solutions to develop a sustainable and integrated solid waste processing industry in Brazil.
ABREN is part of the Global Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (Global WtERT), a prominent technology and research organization operating in several countries, headquartered in New York City, USA, with the aim of promoting best waste management practices. waste through energy recovery and recycling. ABREN CEO, Yuri Schmitky, is LATAM’s current Vice President of WtERT Global and President of WtERT – Brazil. Learn more details about ABREN by accessing location, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram e YouTube From the association. (Abreen Consulting)
