FOR: COVANTA ENERGY

Covanta Low Emissions Energy Recovery Gasification (CLEERGAS(TM)) Offers Lower Emissions and Improved Efficiency

MORRISTOWN, NJ--(Marketwire - April 24, 2012) -  Covanta Energy Corporation (NYSE: CVA), a leading global owner and operator of Energy-from-Waste projects, today announced that it has completed commercial demonstration testing on a first-of-its-kind gasification technology. The technology has demonstrated the ability to gasify unprocessed post-recycled municipal solid waste (MSW) in a commercial setting, while reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiency.

Covanta used the occasion of the annual North American Waste-to-Energy Conference (NAWTEC) taking place this week in Portland, Maine to announce the successful testing of the technology. This commercial demonstration paves the way for Covanta to offer a new 300 ton per day modular system, called CLEERGAS™ (Covanta Low Emissions Energy Recovery Gasification), to clients that desire next generation technology.

"We are always working to stay on the cutting edge of technology to convert waste into clean energy," said Anthony J. Orlando, Covanta's president and chief executive officer. "This new gasification technology is truly exciting. Communities interested in emerging technologies can now partner with Covanta's industry leading team to assure successful project execution."

Covanta's gasification unit has been processing 350 tons per day of post-recycled municipal solid waste and has demonstrated superior reliability at 95+% availability. Municipal solid waste, which does not have to be pretreated, is subjected to high temperatures and reduced air on the gasification platform, where it undergoes a chemical reaction that creates a synthesis gas, or syngas. The syngas is then combusted and processed through an established energy recovery system, followed by a state-of-the-art emissions control system. 

"Successfully completing this commercial demonstration was a major step in developing new facilities capable of gasifying unprocessed post-recycled municipal waste," said John Klett, executive vice president and chief technology officer. "Moving forward, our research and development efforts will continue to improve the syngas quality created in the gasification process. One day, we anticipate this syngas will be utilized as a fuel in a combined cycle facility and potentially, in the production of liquid fuel."

Recovering energy from waste after efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle is a critical component to managing municipal solid waste. EfW facilities are far superior to landfilling and help to solve three critical challenges -- sustainable waste management, renewable energy generation and climate change. Covanta's EfW facilities also contribute to advance recycling programs by recovering over 400,000 tons of metal for recycling every year.

About Covanta
Covanta Energy Corporation is an internationally recognized owner and operator of large-scale Energy-from-Waste and renewable energy projects and a recipient of the Energy Innovator Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Covanta's 46 Energy-from-Waste facilities provide communities with an environmentally sound solution to their solid waste disposal needs by using that municipal solid waste to generate clean, renewable energy. Annually, Covanta's modern Energy-from-Waste facilities safely and securely convert approximately 20 million tons of waste into 9 million megawatt hours of clean, renewable electricity and create more than 9 billion pounds of steam sold to a variety of industries. For more information, visit www.covantaenergy.com.