Shit2Power - Wastewater is our resource

Decentralized energy generation from sludge

Our patented container system converts dewatered sludge into electricity, heat, and nutrient-rich ash — directly at the producer's site, whether wastewater plant, food factory, or industrial facility. No transport, no landfill costs, no waste products.

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Sludge producers benefit from lower disposal costs, local energy generation, and full pollutant destruction — with zero upfront investment. They pay per ton of sludge processed and per kWh of energy produced.

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The energy generation process of our container system consists of three steps:

Drying: Process heat dries the sludge in a closed loop. No external energy required.
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Conversion to gas: Our patented reactor converts the dried sludge at approx. 850°C through thermochemical gasification, producing energy-rich syngas. Organic pollutants are destroyed. Only approx. 10% of the original mass remains as nutrient-rich, hygienised mineral ash.
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Energy generation: A combined heat and power unit produces up to 2,500 MWh/a of electricity and heat. Excess heat feeds back into drying. The process is energy self-sufficient.

Local Energy Production From Sewage Sludge

Shit2Power converts sewage sludge into clean energy and high-quality phosphorus ash, without any waste products. Our patented container solution can be easily and directly attached to existing sewage treatment plants and also processes other types of wet biomass. As a result, wastewater treatment plants benefit from 30% lower energy costs — without any upfront investment. You only pay per ton of recycled sludge and per kilowatt hour of energy produced.

So profitieren Schlammproduzenten: niedrigere Entsorgungskosten, lokale Energieerzeugung und vollständige Schadstoffzerstörung — ganz ohne Vorabinvestition. Sie zahlen lediglich pro Tonne verwertetem Schlamm und pro Kilowattstunde produzierter Energie.

Maximum Stability And Efficiency

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The energy generation process of our container system consists of three steps:

Drying: Process heat dries the sludge in a closed loop. No external energy required.
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Conversion to gas: Our patented reactor converts the dried sludge at approx. 850°C through thermochemical gasification, producing energy-rich syngas. Organic pollutants are destroyed. Only approx. 10% of the original mass remains as nutrient-rich, hygienised mineral ash.
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Energy generation: A combined heat and power unit produces up to 2,500 MWh/a of electricity and heat. Excess heat feeds back into drying. The process is energy self-sufficient.

Sludge disposal — a growing problem with no economic solution

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Sludge disposal costs can account for up to 50% of operating expenses.

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Sludge disposal prices have doubled over the last 5 years.

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Energy potential in sludge that remains uncaptured

Sludge treatment challenges

Fewer disposal options, exploding costs

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Regulation is increasingly restricting conventional disposal routes across industries. Agricultural spreading is becoming more difficult due to contaminants such as PFAS and heavy metals. Landfilling is increasingly prohibited under EU regulations. Incineration remains the last option, but capacity is limited, permitting new facilities is lengthy, and transport distances of up to 800 km are driving up costs. The pressure is mounting for wastewater treatment plants as well as for industrial sludge producers.

Limits Of Traditional Methods

‍Advantages over central incineration plants

We offer small-scale on-site solutions for sludge processing directly at the producer's site. This minimises transport distances and therefore costs and emissions.
We close a local energy loop: our process generates energy that can be used on-site.

Comparison with sewage sludge digestion

We reduce volume by >90% instead of only approx. 50%.
Process temperatures above 800°C ensure complete hygienisation and decontamination of the sludge.
This cannot be achieved with the anaerobic biological processes of a digestion tank. Successful tests with digested sludge show that our technology is also suitable for these types of sludge.

‍Comparison with pyrolysis

Through the targeted introduction of ambient air, the carbon contained in the sludge is almost entirely transferred to the gas phase and thus used for energy generation.
Our process is energy self-sufficient.

Regulatory Pressure & Market Demand

The EU is preparing a comprehensive PFAS ban under REACH (decision expected 2026/2027). In Germany, binding PFAS limits in the Drinking Water Ordinance take effect from 2026. PFAS-contaminated sludge can neither be spread nor landfilled. Thermal treatment with complete pollutant destruction is becoming the only compliant route. In addition, large wastewater treatment plants must recover phosphorus from 2029 and operate energy-neutrally by 2040. Industrial sludge producers across all sectors are actively seeking new, cost-effective on-site solutions.

Regulation is increasingly restricting conventional disposal routes across industries. Agricultural spreading is becoming more difficult due to contaminants such as PFAS and heavy metals. Landfilling is increasingly prohibited under EU regulations. Incineration remains the last option, but capacity is limited, permitting new facilities is lengthy, and transport distances of up to 800 km are driving up costs. The pressure is mounting for wastewater treatment plants as well as for industrial sludge producers.

Advantages over central incineration plants

We offer small-scale on-site solutions for sludge processing directly at the producer's site. This minimises transport distances and therefore costs and emissions.
We close a local energy loop: our process generates energy that can be used on-site.

Comparison with sewage sludge digestion

We reduce volume by >90% instead of only approx. 50%.
Process temperatures above 800°C ensure complete hygienisation and decontamination of the sludge.
This cannot be achieved with the anaerobic biological processes of a digestion tank. Successful tests with digested sludge show that our technology is also suitable for these types of sludge.

Comparison with pyrolysis

Through the targeted introduction of ambient air, the carbon contained in the sludge is almost entirely transferred to the gas phase and thus used for energy generation.
Our process is energy self-sufficient.

The EU is preparing a comprehensive PFAS ban under REACH (decision expected 2026/2027). In Germany, binding PFAS limits in the Drinking Water Ordinance take effect from 2026. PFAS-contaminated sludge can neither be spread nor landfilled. Thermal treatment with complete pollutant destruction is becoming the only compliant route. In addition, large wastewater treatment plants must recover phosphorus from 2029 and operate energy-neutrally by 2040. Industrial sludge producers across all sectors are actively seeking new, cost-effective on-site solutions.

FAQ

What is sludge?

Sludge is a residue from industrial and municipal processes with a moisture content above 50%. It is produced wherever organic materials are processed: in wastewater treatment plants, food production, paper mills, slaughterhouses, biogas plants, and agriculture. Although sludge contains valuable energy potential of 20 to 25 MJ/kg of organic matter, its high water content makes transport and disposal difficult and expensive. Additionally, it can contain contaminants such as PFAS and heavy metals that prevent simple spreading or landfilling.

What type of sludge can our technology process?

Our system processes mechanically dewatered sludge with a dry matter content of approx. 20% or higher. This is the typical consistency at which sludge is transported by truck from production sites today. Our technology is feedstock-agnostic: whether sewage sludge, paper sludge, digestate, or slaughterhouse waste, the decisive factors are dry matter content, a lower heating value of at least 10 MJ/kg dry matter, and a continuous sludge stream. Each reactor can process up to 2,700 tonnes of dewatered sludge per year.

Can your technology operate independently of a wastewater treatment plant?

Process temperatures above 850°C fully destroy all organic pollutants, including PFAS. Heavy metals are bound in the mineral ash. No waste products are generated that require further disposal. The remaining ash accounts for less than 10% of the original mass and is chemically inert.

About us

Founding Story

Shit2Power GmbH was founded in Berlin in 2023 by Nina Heine and Dr.-Ing. Fabian Habicht. The basis for the business idea was laid by an exchange between Nina Heine and a farmer in spring 2021, which took place as part of an agricultural project. Nina's original focus was on closing the water cycle in order to actively combat increasing water scarcity. However, their perspective changed when the farmer made them aware of Germany's inefficient sewage sludge disposal system, which transports sludge up to 800 km by truck.

Together with Fabian, Nina identified an even greater global challenge: Outdated wastewater treatment and disposal methods mean that 80% of wastewater remains untreated — resulting in over 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The discovery that wet biomass has energy levels comparable to brown coal opened up new perspectives. Particularly in sewage sludge — the most expensive and urgent waste problem — they identified an untapped opportunity and developed a revolutionary solution. Shit2Power was founded with the mission to enable sites worldwide to convert their sludge into energy directly on-site. The goal: turning disposal into energy generation, reducing emissions, and using biomass as a resource.

Our Co-Founders

Nina Heine

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Nina Heine, CEO and Co-founder of Shit2Power GmbH, has more than a decade of professional experience in public consulting at KPMG and in leading positions at EEW-Energy from Waste GmbH, one of the most renowned environmental technology companies. There she led innovative projects in the area of sustainable waste management. She also brings extensive expertise in working with start-ups in Europe and the USA.

Dr. Fabian Habicht

Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Dr. Fabian Habicht, Co-founder and CTO of Shit2Power GmbH, is a proven expert in process engineering and renewable energy. With a doctorate in combustion technology and extensive expertise in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, he is responsible for the development of our innovative technology. His focus is on implementing scalable solutions for wastewater treatment plants across the EU. In doing so, he combines technical know-how with strategic vision to ensure both compliance with regulatory requirements and the economic efficiency of the systems.

Our Team

Cornelia Schwertner

Chief Financial & Regulatory Officer (CFO)

Tim Diegel

Product Engineer

Lisa Millies

Wet Biomass Expert

Malte Lutz

Lab & Product Development

Dr. Stephen Mey

Technical Advisor

Testimonials

“If the Shit2Power team succeeds in demonstrating stable solutions for 90 percent of everyday cases in sewage treatment plants, this will undoubtedly convince both customers and investors. This would be a decisive step towards decentralizing wastewater treatment systems.”

Professor Dr. Frank Behrendt

Technical University of Berlin
Head of Energy Process Engineering and
Conversion Technologies for Renewable Energies

“We are very impressed by your approach to sewage sludge processing and energy use. We find your approach particularly interesting, as our previous plans for a fermentation system have always been a question of cost-benefit. As a wastewater association, we are open to innovations and would like to act as a reference partner for your solution.”

Thomas Richter

Wastewater Association Elbe-Floßkanal
Director of Wastewater Treatment Plant Nünchritz, Saxony

Prizes & Awards

Gründungspreis+ (Federal Startup Award)

The “Start-Up Competition — Digital Innovations” of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection is aimed at prospective entrepreneurs and young start-ups with innovative digital business ideas. In 2023, Shit2Power GmbH was selected and awarded an award.

100 Most Important Minds of Berlin Science 2024

Who is particularly influencing science in and around the metropolis of Berlin? The 100 most important minds for 2024 were selected by the “Tagesspiegel”. Personalities from a wide range of fields, including Nina Heine and Dr. Fabian Habicht in the science sector, attracted the attention of the editorial team and received awards.

Handelsblatt - Newcomer of the Year 2024

Who has achieved great things? Who surprises? And which personalities will continue to employ us in 2025? The Handelsblatt once again named People of the Year in 2024. These include Shit2Power Co-Founders Nina Heine and Dr. Fabian Habicht in the category: Who else stood out: Unstoppable!

Startup Germany Summit 2024

The Startup Germany Summit 2024 brought start-ups, politics and business together. Under the motto “We are one”, all 16 federal states presented their regional diversity and strategic approaches to strengthen the German start-up location. Shit2Power was selected as representative for Berlin to represent the capital region and its innovative strength in the area of sustainable technologies.

4×4 Below 40

Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland and the SZ Institut recognize 4×4 entrepreneurs under 40 who are breaking new ground.
Nina Heine, Co-Founder & CEO, was honored in 2024 for her creative solutions for converting waste products into energy, which are actively reshaping and sustainably shaping the industry.

IDEE Award

Since 1997, the Hamburg-based coffee roaster Albert Darboven has been awarding the IDEE-Förderpreis – the only nationwide recognition celebrating innovative business ideas by women in the context of entrepreneurship. In 2023, this prestigious award was presented to Nina Heine, honoring Shit2Power as a groundbreaking and successful business concept. For founder Albert Darboven, supporting female entrepreneurs remains a priority, especially those whose innovative and sustainable ideas strengthen the international competitiveness of the German economy.