The aim of this paper is to show municipal and organic waste as an alternative source of energy and the benefits which can bring their energy use. These benefits concern both environmental reasons, as well as freedom from conventional energy sources and increasing energy security. The article discusses the biogas technology and plasma technology as the most promising waste to energy technologies.

This article presents waste management in the world and in some highly developed countries in the European Union such as Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden. The article presented also waste management systems in these countries, with special attention to the processes of energy use of waste (Waste to Energy - WTE) in existing plants.

Status of municipal waste management in Poland requires decisive action in this regard. At present only a small percentage of wastes are utilized. In this state of affairs affects the low environmental awareness, lack of waste management plans in the municipalities, as well as the lack of installations for waste recovery and disposal. This article presents the most important legislation both at the European and national level on waste management. Discusses the prospects for the energy use of waste particularly with firing and co-firing waste technology with heat recovery at the same time.

One year ago there turned out the first scientific publications about obtain possibilities of 2,5 -dimethylfuran (DMF) straight from fructose, from raw materials like cellulose, starch or fruits. According to some sources, DMF could be use like oxygen fuel component, because of its properties. In th is article were discussed physical and chemical properties of DMF, and raw possibilities to DMF production as a second generation biofuel, there were also discussed possible technologies of DMF obtaining in “Wisconsin-Madison” technology. Besides there was performed an estimation of DMF application possibilities in present internal combustion engines.