Open-source waste-to-energy system simulation model launched by NREL

In Washington, D.C., the National Renewable Energy Laboratory launched the Waste-to-Energy System Simulation (WESyS) Model, a first-of-its-kind tool designed to gain insight into the waste-to-energy industry and help identify where bottlenecks are occurring in technology advancements and where to invest in research.

The tool can also help examine how the waste-to-energy industry fits into the larger energy system to help meet growing energy demands and manage increasing waste.

Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, WESys will help identify where bottlenecks are occurring in technology advancements, allowing national government agencies, industry trade groups, utilities, state-level decision-makers, and water resource organizations to understand where to invest in research.

Leveraging WTE technologies could add revenue for waste disposal operations and support economic and environmental goals at the local, state, and national levels. However, for reasons yet to be understood, many WTE technologies have struggled to make it to commercial scale.