China Waste-to-Energy Market Size, Share, Trends and Forecast by Technology, Waste Type, and Region, 2025-2033

China Waste-to-Energy Market Overview:

The China waste-to-energy market size reached USD 7.01 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 16.51 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 8.94% during 2025-2033. The market is advancing through rapid infrastructure expansion, circular economy integration, and innovative technology adoption for cleaner energy conversion. Emphasis on resource recovery and sustainable practices is transforming waste into a valuable energy source while reducing environmental impact. Strong policy support and growing environmental priorities are further accelerating industry development, ensuring long-term resilience. These combined factors are significantly enhancing the China waste-to-energy market share, positioning the sector as a vital component of the country’s sustainability strategy.

China Waste-to-Energy Market Trends:

Rapid Infrastructure Expansion and Capacity Enhancement

The Chinese government's commitment to expanding waste-to-energy infrastructure has led to unprecedented growth in the sector. As of October 2024, China has 1,010 incineration plants, representing nearly half of the global total, demonstrating the country's dominant position in the global waste-to-energy market. This massive infrastructure development is driven by the need to address China's escalating urban waste crisis, with solid waste generation expected to exceed 500 million metric tons annually by 2025. The expansion focuses on advanced incineration technologies that maximize energy recovery while minimizing environmental impact. Regional governments are prioritizing the development of comprehensive waste treatment facilities to replace traditional landfills. This trend is supporting the China waste-to-energy market growth by creating a robust foundation for sustainable waste management. The infrastructure boom is also creating opportunities for technology providers and equipment manufacturers to establish long-term partnerships with municipal authorities across various Chinese provinces.

Circular Economy Integration and Resource Recovery

China's move toward a circular economy framework is naturally reshaping the waste-to-energy industry by making resource recovery secondary only to power generation. The recent release of policies favoring end-to-end waste recycling programs indicates a strong will to make waste-to-energy operations in line with national sustainability objectives. Through the coupling of energy recovery with material recycling, waste streams are now considered a source of renewable energy as well as usable raw materials. Cutting-edge sorting, processing, and conversion technology is facilitating optimal value extraction, with integrated models facilitating the recovery of metals, plastics, and organic compounds along with energy generation. The practice creates synergies to limit landfill reliance and promote higher resource efficiency for industries. Businesses are increasingly seeking innovative approaches that focus on circularity, fueling China waste-to-energy market growth through solutions that integrate environmental stewardship with economic viability. This trend spotlights the country's capacity to turn waste management into an industrial sustainability pillar.

Technology Innovation and Clean Energy Transition

China's waste-to-energy industry is rapidly modernizing with emerging technologies transforming the sector's contribution to clean energy transition. From improved combustion technologies to advanced emission reduction technologies, plants are embracing cleaner and more efficient technologies that conform to ecological civilization values. These new technologies convert domestic waste into renewable energy while ensuring less strain on the environment. The advent of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and automation has further streamlined plant operations, making it more efficient and reducing costs. Beyond local innovations, Chinese enterprises are taking their know-how global, exporting waste-to-energy technology and cooperating with partners in the Belt and Road Initiative. Such leadership enhances China's international role while solidifying its local resolve toward decarbonization and resource efficiency. The implementation of state-of-the-art processes signifies greater than incremental gains; it signifies a systemic transformation into ecologically sustainable waste use. The technologies embody the spirit of the changing China waste-to-energy market trends, as they illustrate the place of technology as the key driver for long-term environmental impacts

China Waste-to-Energy Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the country and regional levels for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on technology and waste type.

Technology Insights:

• Thermal
  • Incineration
  • Pyrolysis
  • Gasification
• Biochemical
• Others

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market by technology. This includes thermal (incineration, pyrolysis, and gasification), biochemical, and others.

Waste Type Insights:

• Municipal Waste
• Process Waste
• Agriculture Waste
• Medical Waste
• Others

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the waste type have also been provided in the report. This includes municipal waste, process waste, agriculture waste, medical waste, and others.

Regional Insights:

• North China
• East China
• South Central China
• Southwest China
• Northwest China
• Northeast China

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include North China, East China, South Central China, Southwest China, Northwest China, and Northeast China.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

China Waste-to-Energy Market News:

• In May 2025, Chaoyang Environment Group launched an AI-based incineration system in Beijing, enabling automated waste-to-energy conversion. The system uses sensors and predictive algorithms to optimize combustion, increase electricity generation, and lower emissions, advancing China’s sustainable waste management efforts and supporting the growth of the China waste-to-energy market.
• In May 2024, Oriental Energy introduced an advanced steam recycling system at its Zhangjiagang production base in Jiangsu, China. The Waste Heat to Power technology enables efficient conversion of waste steam into electricity, significantly enhancing energy utilization and supporting sustainable industrial operations within the China waste-to-energy market.

China Waste-to-Energy Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the China waste-to-energy market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the China waste-to-energy market on the basis of technology?
• What is the breakup of the China waste-to-energy market on the basis of waste type?
• What is the breakup of the China waste-to-energy market on the basis of region?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the China waste-to-energy market?
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the China waste-to-energy market?
• What is the structure of the China waste-to-energy market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the China waste-to-energy market?

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC's industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the China waste-to-energy market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the China waste-to-energy market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the China waste-to-energy industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.