Waste-to-Energy Options in Municipal Solid Waste Management

Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami Head of Solid Waste Management Research Unit,

Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES),

King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Associate Editor, Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews - Elsevier (IF 10.556) for Bioenergy, Waste to Energy, and Biomass

Population

and

Energy

Demands

The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to reach up to 8.2 billion in 2025 with current annual growth rate of 1%.

The Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America are the places, where most of this growth will occur due to rapidly growing industries and urbanization.

The energy demand will increase significantly in developing countries, especially in Asia with an increase of 46-58% at annual rate of 3.7% till 2025.

Fossil fuels are the most relied source at the moment to meet the world’s energy demands.

The intensive and solely utilization of fossil resources are not only depleting our natural reserves but also causing global climate change.

Waste

Generation

and its

Management

The generation rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) will increase from 1.2 to 1.5 kg per capita per day in next 15 years.

Globally, around 2.4 billion tons of MSW is generated every year that will reach up to 2.6 billion tons by 2025.

In cities of developing world, MSW is the city’s single largest budgetary item.

The sustainable disposal of MSW is still at infancy level in most of the developing countries.

The current waste management in developing world include waste collection and disposal of the collected waste to dumpsite or landfill sites without any treatment.

The actual collection of waste from the cities is only 60% of generated waste, while the remaining waste lies in the empty plots, street sides, along road, railway lines, drains, and low areas.

The infrastructure and maintenance facilities for MSW vary according to the economy of the area.

The MSW can be a cheap and valuable source of renewable

energy, recycled materials, value-added products (VAP) and

revenue, if properly and wisely managed.

What to do with so much waste?

Best Waste Management Practice

Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) System

Concept of Waste-to-Energy (WTE)

The concept of waste to energy is known as one of

the several energy recovery technologies capable

of benefiting a society that wants to cut its fossil

fuel addiction.

The possibilities for converting waste-to-energy

(WTE) are plentiful and can include a wide range

of waste sources, conversion technologies, and

infrastructure and end-use applications.

Several WTE technologies such as pyrolysis,

anaerobic digestion (AD), incineration,

transesterification, gasification, refused derived

fuel (RDF) and plasma arc gasification.

The integrating of waste with the generation of

energy will provide a solution to the developing

world’s challenge of waste disposal with energy

supply.

Types of Waste to Energy

Technologies

Thermal Technologies

Incineration

Gasification

Pyrolysis

Plasma Arc Gasification

Non Thermal Technologies

Anaerobic Digestion

Fermentation

Transesterification

Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT)

7

Choice of WTE technology

Waste type and amount

Amounts of gas emissions from WTE technologies

Local recycling and waste disposal practices

Environmental and economic benefits

Local weather and other factors

Public awareness and behaviour

Required form of energy

Local energy market and labour skills

Single Waste Factory

Forestry waste Agricultural waste

Animal waste Industrial waste Municipal waste

Bark Sawdust Pulping

liquors Fibers Dead trees Culling and

logging waste

Leaves Straws

Crop waste Citrus

waste Green

waste What and

rice straw waste

Wood chips Sawdust

Fats Tallow Blood Meat

processing waste

Manure Swine waste

Olive pulp Wastewater

from pulp and paper industry

Wastewater from sugar or toffee industry

Food waste Used cooking oil Sewage Plastics Paper and card

boards Textile Leather Construction and

demolition waste

Can any of the Waste to Energy technology achieve the zero waste concept?

Is any of these technologies capable enough to compete other renewable-energy sources such as wind, solar, etc.?

Is any of the conversion technology can replace the fossil fuel substantially and immediately?

Intergradation of energy recovery technologies under a waste-driven factory.

A biorefinery is a cluster of technologies producing chemicals, fuels, power, products, and materials from different feedstock.

Why Integration of WTE Technologies?

Organic fertilizer

(Composting)

Biogas

Upgrading

Rendering and

Transesterification

Pyrolysis

Wind Energy

Compressed Natural Gas

(CNG) &

Biodiesel

Thermophillic

Anaerobic Digestion

(AD)

Pretreatment

Combined Heat &

Power

Refuse Derived

Fuel (RDF)

Food, Paper,

Green and Blood Waste

An

imal F

ats

&

Used

-oil

Plastics

Tipping and

Receiving

Liq

uid

Fu

el

Bioproducts

Char

& G

ases

Lard, Tallow

Electric Grid

Liquid

Solid

Paper, Cardboard, Textile, Leather etc.

RD

F P

ellets

Integrated WTE technologies under Waste-driven Factory

Case Study

of Saudi

Arabia

There is no energy or recovery facility exits in KSA.

Most of the collected municipal waste is disposed to landfill or dump sites untreated.

The recycling of metals and cardboards is the only waste recycling practices, which is around 10-15% of the total MSW.

The problems of GHG emissions, and groundwater and soil contamination along with public health issues are occurring in the waste-disposal vicinities

Every year, around 15 million tons of MSW is generated in KSA with an average rate of 1.4 kg per capita per day.

The food and the plastic waste are the two largest waste streams that collectively add up to 70% of total MSW.

My Solid Waste Research Unit has examined the appropriate WTE technologies for Saudi Arabia according to the local waste composition and energy contents.

VISION 2030 – Saudi Arabia

KACARE Target

72 GW renewable

(2032)

Improving efficiency of waste management

Recycling projects

Reducing all types of pollution

Utilizing treated and renewable water

Localizing renewable energy

we still lack a competitive renewable energy sector at present

Initial target of generating 9.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy

Millions of SAR in funding for waste to energy projects

13

Methane

MSW in Makkah

(Glass+ Cardboad+

Metal+ Aluminium)

Food Waste

Fraction (FWF)

Plastic Waste

Fraction

Paper + leather

+ Wood + other

FWF - Fat

Refuse Derived

Fuel (RDF)Pyrolysis RecyclingAn-aerobic

DigestionTrans-

esterification

Fat

Glycerol Biodiesel Liquid Fuel RDF Pellets Reuse/ resale

Renewable

Energy

970

489.7

168.4 192 118

426 64

12.2% of MSW 87.8% of MSW

Waste-based Factory in Makkah

Economic and

Environmental

Benefits of

Waste Recycling

in Makkah

A net revenue of 113 million SAR will be added to the national economy every year

only from recycling practices in Makkah city.

It is theoretically estimated that up to 140.1 thousand Mt.CO2 eq. global warming potential

(GWP) will be achieved with savings of 5.6 thousand tons emission of CH4.

There are significant economic and environmental benefits for the Makkah city by recycling only 12.21% of Makkah’s municipal

solid waste, including the recyclable materials such as

Cardboard (6.6%)

Glass (2.9%)

Metals (1.9%)

Aluminium (0.81%)

AS Nizami et al. 2017. Developing waste biorefinery in Makkah: a way forward to convert urban waste into renewable energy. Applied Energy. 186 (2): 189–196

Economic and

Environmental

Benefits

A total net revenue of 758 million SAR can be generated from;

landfill diversion (530.4 million SAR)

electricity generation (181.6 million SAR)

recycling (45.5 million SAR).

1.95 million barrels of oil and 11.2 million mcf of natural gas can be saved with a cost savings of 485.5 million SAR.

AS Nizami et al. 2017. Developing waste biorefinery in Makkah: a way forward to convert urban waste into renewable energy. Applied Energy. 186 (2): 189–196

Pyrolysis Process (Plastic waste)

• High temperature (300-600 °C)

• No oxygen • Liquid oil, char and

gases products • Different feedstocks can

be used • We can use different

catalysts to improve process

Pyrolysis Process

Two-Stage Batch Pyrolyzer System

Pyrolysis

Reactor Catalytic

Reforming

Reactor

Condenser

Control

Panel

Water

Chiller

Oil Collector

Benefits of Waste-Based Factory

RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT

SOLVING

WASTE

PROBLEMS

NEW BUSINESSES

AND JOB

CREATION

MINIMIZING

ENVIRONMENTAL

POLLUTION

IMPROVING

PUBLIC

HEALTH

Conclusions and

Recommendations

Increasing energy consumption has exerted great pressure on natural resources and results in

significant GHG emissions in developing countries.

This has led to a move towards sustainable energy production, mainly from the non-food biomass, including

forestry and agricultural residues and industrial and municipal organic waste.

The commercialization of WTE technologies are expected in near

future due to continuous improvement in process

technologies with reduced process costs, governmental subsidizes and generation of multiple energy and valuable

products.

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based studies on the integrated

waste-based biorefinery will provide a knowledge base

platform for academics and industries about technical,

economic and environmental benefits and limitations of the

conversion technologies.

Recycling is considered to be a key component of modern waste-reduction practices to reduce the

GHG emissions and environmental impact of waste.

A case study of KSA showed potential economic and

environmental benefits of developing integrated waste-

based biorefinery in the country.

Specialised Training for GAMEP

Environmental Inspectors (2017-2018)

Gave in-depth trainings to prepare the graduated environmental inspectors for Masters degree course in UK.

The training was given in lectures format with some basic laboratory skills.

The group was around 30-40 male students and 10-15 female students.

Both groups from 2017 and 2018 are in UK doing their masters degrees in environmental and renewable energy related topics.

Course Modules

Solid waste Management

Municipal Waste Management

Industrial Waste Management

Waste to Energy Technologies

Waste Based Biorefineries

Landfilling

Reduce, Reuse and Recycling (3 R concept)

Construction and Demolition Waste Management

Hospital Waste Management

1. Integrated Waste Management System

Course Modules

Introduction to Sustainability

Sustainable Construction Activities

Sustainable Resource Management

Smart Buildings

Sustainable and Resilient Cities

2. Sustainability

Solid Waste Management in Jeddah

and Dammam (P 143450)

• NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT STUDY

• Solid Waste Management in Jeddah and Dammam

World Bank, United States of America (USA)

An Overview of the Waste Management Sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

White policy paper. Averda, United Kingdom (UK)

Closure and Post-Closure Plan for Waste Management Facilities in Abqaiq Area

Saudi Company for Environmental Works Ltd. (SEW), Saudi Arabia

West Asia Solid Waste Outlook

Report

UNEP supported document

Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)

Chapter 2: Waste Management – Regional Status Chapter 3: Specific Regional Features (Hajj & Ramadan)

National and International Reviewer, and

Auditor

King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology (KACST)

National Research Agency (ANR) of France

Government Agency of National Science Centre, Poland

Freelance Writer in Electronic and Printed

Media

Newspapers

Arab News

Saudi Gazette

Makkah-Al-Mukarmmah

Magazines

Forbes Magazine

EnviroCities

Blogs

EcoMENA

BioEnergy Consult

Collaboration Established with National

and International Institutions

Thank You So Much