A techno-economic assessment on biomass waste-to-energy potential in Cameroon

Abstract

Biomass waste-to-energy offers a critical solution to carbon neutrality through improving the resource recycling and recovery. This study comprehensively assessed how waste-to-energy can be implemented in generating electricity for Cameroon with an estimation to the energy potential of anaerobic digestion of three organic waste streams including municipal solid waste, wastewater sludge, and livestock manure. We assessed the energy potential in terms of the theoretical, technical, and economic potentials. The findings highlighted a theoretical energy potential of 936.37 TWh/y in Cameroon. If only applied to a fraction of organic wastes, the technical potential could reach 48.64 TWh/y. Furthermore, considering the economic costs of technology installation, 17.06 TWh/y could be generated, and this economic generation potential could supply to 38.9% of the country’s current electricity demand. This study implies that waste-to-energy would significantly reduce fossil fuels consumption and greenhouse gases emissions from poorly disposed wastes, to enable decarbonization transition and improve human health in African countries.

The potential contribution of end-of-life fishing nets, lines and ropes to a circular economy: the Namibian perspective

“…Transitioning from LE to CE presents many benefits including resource efficiency, waste reduction, creation of employment opportunities, reducing business production costs, economic opportunities, and business models. Thus, implementing a CE is a catalyst in accelerating economic growth (Naustdalslid, 2014;Darmandieu et al, 2021;Eimontas et al, 2023;Longfor et al, 2023), with numerus opportunities. Instead of disposing of resources in landfills as the final waste management alternative, the CE model emphasizes recycling and reusing materials, a practice beneficial to the environment and can lead to sustainability (Deshpande et al, 2020a).…”

“…Recovered fishing nets, lines and ropes can promote CE, as they can be used as reinforcement materials in construction materials such as cementitious mortars and gypsum boards (Ottosen et al, 2018;Bertelsen and Ottosen, 2022) and can also be used to manufacture new fishing nets (European Commission, 2015). The model can help conserve virgin materials and by sourcing inputs locally, businesses can reduce the risks associated with supply chain disruptions, such as price fluctuations and shortages (Longfor et al, 2023), especially as a substantial number of companies source fishing gear from Spain (27.7%) and other countries. This can help local businesses maintain their operations during periods of economic uncertainty and contribute to the overall stability of the local economy.…”

Techno-Economic Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Incineration in Ghana

“…This problem of MSW disposal and management in Ghana has brought substantial obstacles to successive governments, as indicated by the widespread presence of open landfill sites in various communities, especially in urban communities nationwide [15]. The adoption of WtE can effectively alleviate environmental pressure by bypassing the need for landfill disposal and improving waste management approaches [16]. In recent times, Ghana has faced challenges in meeting its electricity demand due to insufficient power supply.…”