3.3.1 Calorific values of the 35 WTE plants
The calorific value or heating value is the amount of heat produced by the complete combustion
of a specified amount of material [47]. It is a very important factor to the operation of WTE plants
because the thermal energy is generated during combustion of waste when the lower heat value (LHV)
is higher than 5MJ/kg [48]. As the calorific value of MSW increases, MSW becomes a more efficient fuel
for producing electricity and/or heat. In the year 2010, the average value for the 35 WTE plants in Korea
was 9.7 MJ/kg (Figure 28). This number is slightly lower than the average value of 10.2 or 10.3 MJ/kg for
the MSW from the 97 E.U. WTE facilities (Figure 29). Considering that the value of 10 MJ/kg corresponds
to about 2.8 MWh (megawatt-hours) of thermal energy per ton, Korean MSW has less energy potential
than the MSW of European countries