16 July, 2026
As Australia’s highest polluting energy generating sector – coal – shuts down, a landmark Smart Energy Council report warns that a new source of dirty power generation is gearing up – in the form of waste-to-energy.
Drawing on global analysis, Waste-to-energy in Australia: Energy Solution or Problem? finds that comparable post-coal economies such as the United Kingdom are finding that waste to energy is now the dirtiest form of electricity generation.
The broader experience of waste-to-energy throughout Europe is reflected by the EU’s recent decision to impose pollution costs on incineration plants.
There are currently 15 waste-to-energy projects planned across Australia – including 6 in Victoria and 3 in NSW – variously described by companies developing them as low emission, renewable, clean and safe for human health and the environment.
Report author Nick Harford scrutinises these claims and concludes none of them are supported by available evidence. For starters, waste-to-energy does not meet the legislative definition of renewable energy.
“Government authorities and project proponents are incorrectly stating that waste to energy is a circular economy solution, and capable of reducing emissions from direct use of fossil fuels,” he said.
“Such claims warrant closer scrutiny. Waste-to-energy is not low emissions, renewable or clean energy.”
The report notes that waste to energy has far higher emissions than gas fired power generators, an industry where the whole of life pollution profile is only marginally below that of coal.
Despite this, the report highlights how funding from government bodies designed to facilitate renewable energy alternatives – such as the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) – have provided finance to the sector.
“As Australia adopts more solar and wind energy, the emission profile of waste-to-energy will only get worse,” Mr Harford said.
“Despite this, waste to energy operators are seeking exemptions from federal regulations such as the Safeguard Mechanism, that put a price on polluting energy generation sources.”
Smart Energy Council Chief Executive David McElrea described attempts to classify burning rubbish as renewable are demonstrably false.
“I shouldn’t have to state the obvious, but this is waste-washing,” he said.
“Waste-to-energy operators claim to be electricity generators, but in reality only 10-20 per cent of revenue comes from power generation – the majority of earnings are derived from waste processing.”
“Federal legislation is very clear, you cannot burn rubbish and call it renewable energy. Any attempts to circumvent that fact are strongly rejected from the renewable energy industry.”
Media Contact:
Tim Lamacraft – tim@smartenergy.org.au – 0448 972 192
