Waste-to-Energy

Technologies and Project Implementation

Marc J. Rogoff,Francois Screve

• Publisher: William Andrew
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780128160800
• Edition: 3
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Energy

Waste-to-Energy: Technologies and Project Implementation, Third Edition covers the programs and technologies that are available for converting traditionally landfilled solid wastes into energy through waste-to-energy projects. It includes coverage of the latest technologies and practical engineering challenges, along with an exploration of the economic and regulatory context for the development of WTE. In addition to technology itself, the book explores implementation concepts, waste feedstock characterization and flow control. It also delves into some of the key issues surrounding the implementation of waste-to-energy systems, such as site selection, regulatory aspects, and financial and economic implications.

Professionals working on planning and implementing waste-to-energy systems will find the book's practical approach and strong coverage of technical aspects a big help to their initiatives. This is a must-have reference for engineers and energy researchers developing and implementing waste-to-energy conversion systems.

• Explores the most currently available technology for waste-to-energy conversion from municipal solid wastes
• Includes recent case studies from around the world that provide insights into the different approaches to planning and implementation of WTE
• Completely updated with the latest technology
• Expanded to include information on thermochemical and biochemical conversion systems

Chapter 1

Introduction and Overview

Abstract

Over the past several decades, various nongovernmental organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, United Nations, and World Bank, and international research agencies supported by various European nations have estimated that solid waste, which is generated worldwide, is estimated to be approximately 1.3 billion tons per year and is expected to increase to approximately 2.2 billion tons by 2025. This assumes an increase in per capita waste generation rates from 1.2 to 1.42 kg per person per day over the next decade.

Keywords

Nongovernmental organizations; solid waste; population; climate; waste-to-energy projects; community

Contents

• 1.1 The Growing Solid Waste Disposal Problem 1
• 1.2 The Trends Toward Energy From Waste 3
  • 1.2.1 The United States 3
  • 1.2.2 Europe 5
  • 1.2.3 China 6
  • 1.2.4 Africa 7
• 1.3 Numbers of Waste-to-Energy Facilities 7
• 1.4 Climate Change and Waste-to-Energy 7
• References 11
• Further Reading 11

1.1 The Growing Solid Waste Disposal Problem

Over the past several decades, various nongovernmental organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, United Nations, and World Bank, and international research agencies supported by various European nations have estimated that solid waste, which is generated worldwide, is estimated to be approximately 1.3 billion tons per year and is expected to increase to approximately 2.2 billion tons by 2025 [1]. This assumes an increase in per capita waste generation rates from 1.2 to 1.42 kg per person per day over the next decade (Table 1.1).

Table 1.1

Estimate of municipal solid waste worldwide (2025)

Region	Total urban population (millions)	Urban MSW generation per capita (kg/day)
Africa	518	0.85
East Asia and Pacific	1230	1.52
Eastern and Central Asia	240	1.48
Latin America and Caribbean	466	1.56
Middle East and North Africa	257	1.43
OECD	842	2.07
South Asia	734	0.77
Total	4287	1.42

Source: The World Bank. What a Waste – A Global Review of Solid Waste Management, 2015.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation rates are influenced by several key factors, among these are economic development, degree of industrialization, urbanization, and climate. Data collected by international organizations such as the World Bank and United Nations suggest that higher the degree of economic development and urbanization, greater the amount of solid waste produced. Furthermore, income level (gross domestic product) and urbanization are usually correlated as well as disposable incomes and living standards. As the levels of these factors increase, there is a corresponding increase in the generation of solid waste with urban residents generating almost twice as much solid waste than rural inhabitants [1]. Waste reduction efforts are anticipated to produce a leveling of peak waste in OECD countries by 2050, East Asia and Pacific countries by 2075, and continued growth of waste in Sub-Saharan Africa. Global waste generation is projected to possibly hit 11 million tons per day by 2100 [2].

The way to dispose of the cans, cereal boxes, newspapers, tires, bottles, and other castoffs of communities in the industrialized and the developing world in an environmentally sound and economically efficient way has become a problem of critical proportions. Up until the recent past, resources were considered as something scarce, which needed to be reused with little, if any, going to waste. To assist in this effort, the “rag men” and piggeries could be found in most urban areas of the industrialized countries and formed the basis of an active recycling industry.

With population growth and waste generation rates spiraling upward, many communities worldwide are beginning to search for alternative long-term solutions to the methods they once employ...