Availability and the Possibility of Employing Wastes and Biomass Materials Energy in Jordan

Abstract

The state of Jordan’s energy independence is critical, with the country relying almost entirely on imported oil and gas. Consequently, energy availability is considered to be the most significant challenge faced by Jordan’s industrial sectors. Between 2014–2019, the Jordan generated over 12,000 kilo-tons of waste and residue each year. The available quantities of agricultural residues and animal wastes produced in Jordan were approximately 1284.2 kilo-tons/year and 10,909.6 kilotons/year, respectively, of which an estimated 42% could be used as a source of biogas. Two options for utilizing biomass resources have been reviewed in this paper: thermal treatment (direct combustion) and as a source of biogas. The quantity of biogas that can be produced in Jordan from a variety of biomass feedstocks is estimated to be 816.2 million cubic meters (MCM), which is equivalent to a yearly power output of 960.9 GWh, representing approximately 5.1% of the total electricity consumed by Jordan in 2019 (18,853 GWh). Assuming a thermal efficiency of 70%, biogas can generate as much as 4.8 TWh of heat energy. Alternatively, the direct combustion of various biomasses can provide Jordan with 2316.7 GWh of electricity. These findings may lead to the development of a long-term strategic plan for the intelligent utilization of available biomass feedstocks for electrical generation and/or as a source of biogas. This would consequently raise the proportion of sustainable energy derived from biomass in Jordan’s energy mix. This work aims to assess the technical, economic, and environmental aspects associated with incorporating biomass resources into Jordan’s energy network.