The state-of-the-art of organic waste to energy in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and opportunities

Silva-Martínez, Rodolfo Daniel; Sanches-Pereira, Alessandro; Ortíz, Willington; Gómez, Maria F.; Coelho, Suani Teixeira

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2020.04.056

Cited by 36 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 118 publications

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“…Again, these results are supported by the previous findings of literature, too. For instance, Silva‐Martínez et al 32 find that gasification technologies are the most promising technologies in view of the combined economic and environmental advantages they offer.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They evaluate various WtE technologies both on their economic and environmental impacts. Potential and cost of electricity generation from MSW have been considered in many studies, tailored to different countries 28‐34 . However, most of these studies limit their analyses on a particular region and usually do not use optimization algorithms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An optimization‐based analysis of waste to energy options for different income level countries

2021

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Summary Utilizing waste‐to‐energy (WtE) technologies is becoming crucial in today's world where energy sources are scarce. Despite the fact that WtE technologies (incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas recovery) have been analyzed thoroughly in the literature regarding their efficiency rates in treating waste, the applicability of each method to different waste compositions and in various economic environments has not been considered before. In this study, this issue is investigated by modeling and solving a mixed integer programming model. The model is illustrated in three settings, namely Turkey, Brazil, and Germany, each of which is an example of a lower middle income, upper middle income, and a high income country, respectively. The findings of the optimization model suggest that plasma‐arc gasification and advanced incineration stand out as the most efficient technologies to create the WtE conversion, provided that there are sufficient funds to build and run these facilities. If there are economic restraints, anaerobic digestion could be a more cost‐effective way to create energy from waste. However, the solutions can be highly dependent on the parameters of the problem, as indicated in the results of the sensitivity analysis performed. In particular, if CO2 emissions are a big concern, the optimization model favors more of plasma‐arc and pyrolysis technologies. Novelty Statement Despite a wide range of previous studies involving technical analysis of WtE technologies, an economic perspective involving facility building decisions comparing different income level countries has not been performed before. This study examines all waste‐to‐energy methods in the literature not only regarding their efficiency rates in treating waste but also selecting the most appropriate methodology in different settings. In this manner, considering different income level countries brings a proper perspective and novelty to the study.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An optimization‐based analysis of waste to energy options for different income level countries

2021

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“…Regarding bioenergy development, the main difference between LAC, but especially CA, and the European Union is that ono one hand, the European Union predicts the direct diminution of the significance of bioenergy and the increase of the relevance of biomaterials by 2050 [17], while on the other hand, in the case of Central America, sugarcane bagasse and straw are currently agricultural residues that produce energy on a large scale with a positive trend, especially in Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras. At the LAC scale, Brazil counts with different sources of bioenergy coming from agricultural waste with significant level of power; for example, black liquor (1.7 GW), wood residues (371 MW), rice husk (36 MW), charcoal (35 MW), elephant grass (32 MW) and palm oil (4 MW) [7]. On the other hand, bioeconomy applied for environmental remediation can have a place in LAC and CA.…”

Section: Limitation Of Bioeconomy Development In Latin Americamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides compost production, first-generation biofuels are another growing industry in tropical and subtropical climates in LAC [22,33]. Although organic waste to energy (OWtE) technologies have been implemented in Latin America, they are insufficient, not only for the amount of waste volume but also to significantly supply the regional energy demand and meet national sustainability goals [7]. This phenomenon is due to a series of factors: the technological difficulties that this kind of infrastructure requires, along with a lack of research and education, unaffordable economic investment and weak political legislation.…”

Section: Waste-to-energy Alternative: Biogas Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, some actors have analyzed the current state of the technological context in LAC and CA also based on the number of scientific publications, where Brazil rose to first place with the highest number of scientific publications, accounting for 37% of the analyzed available documents [7]. The number of scientific publications-especially for Central American countries-regarding bioeconomy issues, including biofuels and enhancement of crops, is very limited; thus, one of the main objectives of the present paper is to contribute to the systematization of state of the art biowaste valorization.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Organic Waste Management and Circular Bioeconomy: A Literature Review Comparison between Latin America and the European Union

et al. 2022

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Worldwide, organic waste represents one of the most significant shares in the waste management system. Within the framework of circular bioeconomy, new and cutting-edge infrastructure has been developed at the European level to turn organic waste into valuable resources. The present paper aims to provide an exhaustive comparison between the European Union and Latin America regarding organic waste valorization. To this end, an introductive analysis about the state of the art circular bioeconomy in Latin America and Caribbean countries was developed. Subsequently, a systematic literature review in the context of South and Central America was conducted to detect differences and similarities in technologies and best practices for treating biowaste. The results show that the Latin American region is home to numerous bio-based infrastructures: biogas recovery, composting facilities and bioremediation strategies. Nevertheless, a conclusive remark underlines that some social, economic and political barriers are still encountered in the region, and therefore, new and locally-based studies are of paramount importance.

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Solid waste management in the context of the waste hierarchy and circular economy frameworks: An international critical review

Awino

Apitz²

2023

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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Growing populations and consumption drive the challenges of solid waste management (SWM); globalization of transport, food production, and trade, including waste trading, distributes risks worldwide. Using waste hierarchy (WH; reduce, reuse, and recycle) and circular economy (CE) concepts, we updated a conceptual waste framework used by international organizations to evaluate SWM practices. We identified the key steps and the important factors, as well as stakeholders, which are essential features for effective SWM. Within this updated conceptual framework, we qualitatively evaluated global SWM strategies and practices, identifying opportunities, barriers, and best practices. We find that, although a few exceptional countries exhibit zero‐waste compliance, most fare poorly, as exhibited by the high waste generation, incineration, and disposal (open dumping, landfilling) volumes. In the Global North, SWM strategies and practices rely heavily on technologies, economic tools, regulatory frameworks, education, and social engagement to raise stakeholder awareness and enhance inclusion and participation; in the Global South, however, many governments take sole legal responsibility for SWM, seeking to eliminate waste as a public “nuisance.” Separation and recycling in the Global South are implemented mainly by “informal” economies in which subsistence needs drive recyclable material retrieval. Imported, regionally inappropriate tools, economic constraints, weak policies and governance, waste trading, noninclusive stakeholder participation, data limitations, and limited public awareness continue to pose major waste and environmental management challenges across nations. In the context of the framework, we conclude that best practices from around the world can be used to guide decision‐making, globally. Despite variations in drivers and needs across regions, nations in both the Global North and South need to improve WH and CE compliance, and enhance stakeholder partnership, awareness, and participation throughout the SWM process. Partnerships between the Global North and South could better manage traded wastes, reduce adverse impacts, and enhance global environmental sustainability and equity, supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:1–27. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

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The state-of-the-art of organic waste to energy in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and opportunities

Cited by 36 publications

References 118 publications

An optimization‐based analysis of waste to energy options for different income level countries

An optimization‐based analysis of waste to energy options for different income level countries

Organic Waste Management and Circular Bioeconomy: A Literature Review Comparison between Latin America and the European Union

Solid waste management in the context of the waste hierarchy and circular economy frameworks: An international critical review

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