Evaluation of energy potential of Municipal Solid Waste from African urban areas

Abstract

a b s t r a c tEnergy is a critical issue for Africa, where large number of people do not have access to energy. Energy recovery from waste can play a role in minimising the impact of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) on the environment with the additional benefit of providing a local source of energy. This study was carried out to assess, at the African level, the role which waste could play in providing energy to citizens and provides an estimate of the total potential of energy from waste incineration and from landfill gas (LFG). The results show an energy potential of all waste generated in Africa of 1125 PJ in 2012 and 2199 PJ in 2025. Nevertheless, if energy recovery through LFG is considered, about 155 PJ could be recovered in 2012 and 363 PJ in 2025 if waste actually collected, or projected to be collected, is considered. The electricity generation could reach 62.5 TWh in 2012 and 122.2 TWh in 2025, in case of full waste collection, compared with electricity consumption in Africa of 661.5 TWh in 2010. If waste actually collected is considered, these estimates decrease respectively to 34.

The Role of Renewable Energy in the Promotion of Circular Urban Metabolism

“…In developing countries, where waste reduction is not consolidated (by re-using, recycling or prevention), an increase in waste disposal is expected, at least in the midterm [86]. In Africa, high rates of collection could supply 9% or 4% of the average continental per capita consumption of electricity, with incineration technologies or biogas, respectively [86].…”

“…In developing countries, where waste reduction is not consolidated (by re-using, recycling or prevention), an increase in waste disposal is expected, at least in the midterm [86]. In Africa, high rates of collection could supply 9% or 4% of the average continental per capita consumption of electricity, with incineration technologies or biogas, respectively [86]. In the metropolitan cities of India, the disposal of waste in landfills would allow the recovery of 60-90% of biogas suitable for the production of energy or to obtain fuel [83].…”

“…The energy contained is retrieved by thermochemical processes (pyrolysis or combustion) or through biochemical processes (anaerobic digestion). The use of incineration technologies currently presents technical or economic difficulties, while gasification and pyrolysis are not available on a commercial scale [86]. Using incineration techniques to produce fuel recovered from waste or municipal solid waste can increase the production of energy two and four times, respectively, with respect to the biochemical processes [66].…”

Exploring untapped energy potential of urban solid waste

“…There are several projects to convert waste into energy and they require combination of efforts from several different perspectives. Along with future technical developments, including the introduction in the market of alternative processes, it is nowadays crucial to take into account all the social, economic and environmental issues that may occur in the decision-making process of this technology (Scarlat et al 2015b). The strategies involved in WTE technologies are discussed in detail (Fig.…”

Alternative approaches for solid waste management a case study in faisalabad pakistan

“…Across the last two decagons, per capita waste productivity expand treble in developed countries which is 5 to 6 times more than that in developing countries [4]. This enormous burden of waste if not suitably organized and disposed will surely pose an unfavorable and detrimental impacts on the different components of ecosystem and environment [5]. Acute issues related to the management of MSW have been found in various cities of Malaysia [6], Bangladesh [7], India [8], Thailand [9] and China [10] as a result of fast development in trend of migration to cities, population and industrial sectors.…”