Amazing Energy Tower in Denmark generates electricity from trash

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Erick van Egeraat, Energy Tower, Roskilde, waste incinerator, perforated façade, Dutch design, Denmark

The Roskilde power plant incinerates rubbish from nine local municipalities as well as selected international locations to generate electricity and heat for the historic city. The building’s unique façade is made up of two different layers – a climatic barrier and an outer skin made from punched aluminum.

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This dramatic second skin is constructed with umber-hued aluminum plates that feature laser-cut holes that allow light to shine through. The architect explains: “At night the backlight perforated façade transforms the incinerator into a gently glowing beacon – a symbol of the plant’s energy production.” He continues, “Several times an hour a spark of light will gradually grow into a burning flame that lights up the entire building. When the metaphorical fire ceases, the building falls back into a state of burning embers.” Brilliant.

+ Erick van Egeraat

Via Dezeen and World Architecture News

Photos by Tim van de Velde

5 thoughts on “Amazing Energy Tower in Denmark generates electricity from trash”

Anonymous September 21, 2014 at 11:18 pm

I read, many years ago, about a plant that incinerated trash and then reclaimed the \"smoke\" to be cleansed and used to enhance the power, keeping the air clean and adding kw to their output. Seems like a workable solution to our energy/ecology woes.

Anonymous September 19, 2014 at 5:03 pm

@jonrdougal Modern incinerators tend to work as gassifiers. The refuse (which is pre-sorted to take out recyclable glass and metals) is super-heated so that it actually forms a gas. Particulate matter is negligible. Typically, even soft organics (i.e. non-wood) are sorted out and composted.

Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 8:36 pm

Incineration indicates "burning" which translates to smoke particulate matter, ash, lost heat. There must be more to this than what I just read?? There are so many excellent technologies for turning trash into energy - plasma, gasification, composting,etc Why incineration?

Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 5:10 pm

Wow, creating electricity and heat from waste!. Although better than a landfill, this is not exactly the most innovative concept and a doubtful investment when we want to become resource aware society. The ones built throughout the Netherlands for instance currently prevent innovations in valorizing waste-streams as they have long term contracts with cities to extract all the mixed resources. In some cases valuable organic material is even added to temper (sic) the fire in the ovens. Burning a problem is really something of the 20th century. These days cities rather should invest in local employment allowing startups and companies to tap into the materials and creating both food, products and services with them. instead of allowing single corporations to make money on both ends with minimum employment and destroying the embodied energy of the resources they need. The nice skin (unfortunately made of aluminium a material with the highest embodied energy possible!) for this industry could prove to be a church for a religion with little followers.

Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 2:10 am

Future of architecture & energy field

Anonymous September 21, 2014 at 11:18 pm

I read, many years ago, about a plant that incinerated trash and then reclaimed the \"smoke\" to be cleansed and used to enhance the power, keeping the air clean and adding kw to their output. Seems like a workable solution to our energy/ecology woes.
Anonymous September 19, 2014 at 5:03 pm

@jonrdougal Modern incinerators tend to work as gassifiers. The refuse (which is pre-sorted to take out recyclable glass and metals) is super-heated so that it actually forms a gas. Particulate matter is negligible. Typically, even soft organics (i.e. non-wood) are sorted out and composted.
Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 8:36 pm

Incineration indicates "burning" which translates to smoke particulate matter, ash, lost heat. There must be more to this than what I just read?? There are so many excellent technologies for turning trash into energy - plasma, gasification, composting,etc Why incineration?
Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 5:10 pm

Wow, creating electricity and heat from waste!. Although better than a landfill, this is not exactly the most innovative concept and a doubtful investment when we want to become resource aware society. The ones built throughout the Netherlands for instance currently prevent innovations in valorizing waste-streams as they have long term contracts with cities to extract all the mixed resources. In some cases valuable organic material is even added to temper (sic) the fire in the ovens. Burning a problem is really something of the 20th century. These days cities rather should invest in local employment allowing startups and companies to tap into the materials and creating both food, products and services with them. instead of allowing single corporations to make money on both ends with minimum employment and destroying the embodied energy of the resources they need. The nice skin (unfortunately made of aluminium a material with the highest embodied energy possible!) for this industry could prove to be a church for a religion with little followers.
Anonymous September 4, 2014 at 2:10 am

Future of architecture & energy field

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