Exploring the energy recuperation and economic aspects of the waste stream at the Al-Minyah sanitary landfill in Palestine

Abstract

The Al-Minya landfill faces pressure due to land limitations and the restricted energy resources available to Palestinians. Over-reliance on landfills strains land use, risking biodiversity loss. Waste-to-energy solutions are vital for reducing landfill waste and easing land pressure, while also addressing energy shortages. These technologies offer a sustainable approach to managing waste and provide alternative energy sources, highlighting their importance in overcoming waste management and energy challenges. This research focuses on municipal solid waste management in the southern Palestinian regions, particularly emphasizing the potential for energy reclamation from the flow of municipal solid waste to the Al-Minyah sanitary landfill using diverse technologies, including incineration, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas capture, and gasification. Moreover, the study examines the potential benefits and assesses the economic, social, and environmental dimensions associated with each waste-to-energy technology. The evaluation of electrical energy recuperation spans the entire operational lifespan of Al-Minyah sanitary land fill (2014–2034) and compared with the projected Palestinian electricity demand by 2030 (expected to reach 12850 GWh that necessitating an electric power generation capacity of 2335 MW). Findings indicate that only two waste-to-energy technologies are viable for electric power recovery from municipal solid waste. Anaerobic digestion technology for organic solid waste (42.04 %) is estimated to recover 57749 MWh, while incineration technology for paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, rubber, and waste tires (36.68 %) is projected to recover 232.56 MWh.