Waste-to-energy back on investor radar

As landfill capacity tightens in major cities and energy security concerns rise, investors are revisiting the waste-to-energy sector amid new regulatory signals.

- Dipti Sharma, Mansi Verma & Nehal Chaliawala

The newly notified Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, are expected to improve waste segregation and bring greater predictability to project pipelines for firms such as Antony Waste Handling Cell, prompting domestic and global investors to take a fresh look at the sector.

Globally, the waste-to-energy market, valued at $37.29 billion in 2025, is projected to grow to $51.68 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.62%, according to a March 2026 report by Fortune Business Research Insights. Asia-Pacific accounted for a 48.24% share in 2025, led by activity in India, China and Japan, the report added.

In India, the waste-to-energy market was valued at $1.56 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $1.97 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 2.55% from 2026 to 2034, according to consulting firm IMARC Group.

Multiple forces are converging to draw attention to waste-to-energy, a sub-sector within renewables.