German company Wasteer implements AI technologies at waste facilities in Europe and secures potential efficiency gains
Key Takeaways
- Wasteer AI implements solutions in European waste facilities, starting with the Parc Adfer plant in Wales.
- The company has achieved positive results at the Ferrybridge-2 plant, leading to contract extensions with enfinium and A2A for more applications.
- AI technology helps analyse waste composition, warns of hazards, and documents operations for efficiency gains.
- Wasteer offers customised software and hardware solutions for waste recycling to meet individual plant requirements.
- Founded in 2023, Wasteer is already active in over 20 plants and plans further international projects.
Wasteer will be working at the Parc Adfer waste recycling plant in Wales. This plant is part of the enfinium Group, a provider of waste-to-energy services in England. Based on a test project that began at the end of 2024 at the enfinium Ferrybridge-2 plant, positive results were achieved, which led to the extension of the mandate. In addition, the Italian company A2A Life Company is extending the contract with Wasteer for the Acerra waste-to-energy plant by several years and expanding the technology’s area of application.
Implementation of AI technology
For several months now, 15 plants of the German plant operator EEW and other customers, including the enfinium Ferrybridge-2 plant, A2A’s Acerra waste-to-energy plant and the Krakowski Holding Komunalny (KHK) waste-to-energy plant in Krakow, have been implementing solutions based on artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies make it possible to analyse waste compositions, generate warnings of potential hazards and digitally document operations. The aim is to realise efficiency gains.
Chris Bebbington, Head of Group Asset Management at enfinium, explains that digitalisation and technological improvements are key elements of their asset management strategy. The use of Waster’s technology has already enabled significant results to be achieved during the validation phase at the Ferrybridge 2 facility.
Bebbington also emphasises that the AI technology can detect incoming contaminants. In combination with a licence plate recognition module, it is possible to determine the origin of the impurities. This helps to improve health and safety at work, as oversized objects can be identified and removed in good time before they disrupt operations.
Customised solutions for waste recycling
Wasteer offers modular software solutions for thermal waste utilisation plants as well as support with the installation of the necessary hardware, such as modern camera systems. With its AI-supported scan, the company automates processes for recognising impurities and analysing composition. This allows the composition of the waste to be recorded in real time, which is important for calculating calorific values and evaluating the risks posed by pollutants.
Benedict von Spankeren, CEO of Wasteer, emphasises that despite the similar challenges faced by waste recycling plants, each plant has individual requirements. The technology must therefore be adapted to the specific circumstances in order to achieve optimum results.
Wasteer is currently active in more than 20 plants, and there are already plans for further projects in non-European countries. The company was founded in 2023 from NEEW Ventures GmbH, EEW’s corporate venture builder, and now has a team of 13 employees.
Leave a Reply