Southeast Asia looks to its growing piles of trash as new energy source

Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy and Hitachi Zosen lead way in burning waste for power

20230723 Thailand trash

A cleaner sweeps up trash on a street in Bangkok, Thailand. Use of waste as an energy source is progressing in Southeast Asia. © Reuters

ARATA SHIGENO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- As the growing Southeast Asian population generates more and more garbage, the use of that waste as an energy source is progressing, with Japanese companies and their incineration know-how leading the way.

A waste incineration plant in southwestern Singapore's Tuas district can process about 35% of the garbage that the city-state generates daily. About 500 to 600 garbage trucks carry in waste around the clock to the plant, whose power production capacity reaches 120 megawatts.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.