How can climate-neutral waste management become a reality? Two ways are with hydrogen technology and with carbon capture and utilisation (CCU). HiiCCE, SRH AöR, TUHH and additional partners are preparing the first steps in this direction with several innovation projects. Thanks to the use of MHKW power for SRH’s vehicle fleet – both in the storage of electricity as well as the generation of “green” hydrogen power with the help of electrolysis – an independent supply of fuel is possible. In the first step, this should be realised by a hydrogen generation system at SRH’s own Rugenberger Damm waste management facility (MVR). The excess hydrogen will then be used in a subsequent project with the aim to create synthetic raw materials from the carbon dioxide won from the emissions of the thermal waste treatment. In light of the aim of the German government to achieve a climate-neutral economic system by 2045, the regenerative carbon-dioxide share of the biogenetic share of the waste is particularly valuable and also offers the potential to draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere on an ongoing basis (CDR – Carbon Dioxide Removal). Additional optimisations of the entire system, such as through the use of the oxygen generated during electrolysis in the innovative carbon dioxide separation process, are a component of the observations (“carbon-free waste incineration”).

Which developments (trends, initiatives, global changes) are relevant and to what extent will their impact be on future waste quantities and composition due to changes in consumer behaviour? On behalf of a commercial client, HiiCCE has set out to assess the answers to these questions.

Tools such as publication research, market surveys, sorting analyses, interviews with waste producers (packaging producers) and workshops serve as the basis for the assessment.

The result has shown that clear trends to reduce the amount of waste are not to be expected, against all expectations. However, a change in the composition of waste is forecasted.

Key drivers of this are measures and activities for waste prevention, alongside the increase in e-commerce in connection with changing packaging characteristics.

The partners Stadtreinigung Hamburg AöR, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) and JOMA Umwelt- Beratungsgesellschaft mbH are currently planning a joint project for the improvement of city district waste collection, in connection with the rise in material quotas and quality from the separated waste collection.

A city district concept is to be developed for a model urban area, which is then to be tested based on its practicality in terms of performance. The aim is to motivate the people living in the district to act sustainably, by providing innovative and interactive technology, also with the goal of preventing waste and improving collection quotas and quality in the collection of separated waste. Services closely connected to the individual city district, as well as electric mobility, are to be integrated and demonstrated in an exemplary way.

The district concept developed is to serve as a blueprint for additional district concepts in Hamburg (close quarters, new quarters) and in similar urban areas.

The partners Stadtreinigung Hamburg AöR, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) and JOMA Umwelt- Beratungsgesellschaft mbH are currently planning a joint project with the company Dräger for the mobile collection of air pollutants.

To achieve this, the collection vehicles from SRH are to be equipped with mobile sensors for various air pollutants in order to identify regional and time-based pollutant exposure. The data is then to be collected by Dräger and provided to SRH in a prepared form. In cooperation with TUHH, SRH aims to make correlations and prepare the data based on region (city districts), the seasons, the time of day and traffic congestion (and possibly other criteria).

The results can be used by SRH (route planning) or made available to third parties such as city or traffic planners. Possibly, a long-term field of business for the city may develop from this (data collection, analysis, provision).

Effective climate protection and resource conservation in the area of waste management also requires a targeted development of new and existing sites, particularly when it comes to energy and resource efficiency (reuse based on material flow and the treatment of waste with high energy efficiency and the use of material and energy potential).

The development encompasses, in addition to the organisational development of structures, the planning of suitable technical measures based on the site – from the permit to the contract to the execution.

JOMA has executed projects in the area of organic waste treatment with energy use and material reuse at various waste management sites.

The client operates a waste management site in Osterholz-Scharmbeck/Pennigbüttel, near Bremen, Germany. The client’s aim is to develop the location further, which also encompasses post-rotting facilities currently not in use.

Based on a location development concept from JOMA, pre-planning was developed for the use of the existing systems for intercommunal organic waste treatment. In cooperation with JOMA, the Verden, Osterholz and Cuxhaven regions, together with the City of Cuxhaven, established a joint institute of public law in order to erect and operate a joint cascade-shaped organic waste treatment system, consisting of fermentation and post-rotting process steps integrating the existing facilities. The planning process for this project is ongoing and supported by JOMA.

The client operates waste management facilities in Tornesch/Kummerfeld, near Hamburg, Germany. The client’s goal is to develop the location further in terms of waste management. This includes the expansion of existing compost facilities with the addition of fermentation, the replacement of the existing waste-to-energy plant and the development of new business fields.

In an initial project step, the existing compost facilities were expanded to include fermentation. This phase of the project, supported by JOMA, has been completed.

In a second project step, based on the location developed concept drawn up by JOMA, additional plans are to be implemented, particularly the replacement of the existing waste-to-energy plant. The planning process and implementation are ongoing and being supported by JOMA.

The client purchased the MVB and MVR incinerators from Vattenfall Europe New Energy within the above-mentioned time period over the course of several steps.

The respective purchasing process was based on extensive analyses both of the market situation in connection with a utilisation forecast and the determination of market price development. Technical and economic analyses were also performed. Some of these were also in connection with an anti-trust analysis.

JOMA supported the client throughout the purchasing process and was responsible for the tasks mentioned above. JOMA was able to leverage similar extensive experiences gained from the purchasing process of E.ON Energy from Waste (EEW), which JOMA also supported.