Chapter 10 - Multi-criteria decision analysis of waste-to-energy technologies

Abstract

The rapid increase in the generation of solid waste and rising demand for energy and preservation of fossil fuels worldwide caused an increase in the popularity of waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies as the solution for waste management problems and energy demands. WTE technologies convert the waste into energy and thus minimize the amount of waste sent to landfills, which also reduces negative impacts on the surrounding environment. This chapter presents the processes and specific aspects of WTE technologies along with their advantages and disadvantages. It also discusses the important criteria involved to select and ensure efficient operation of WTE technology. Furthermore, popular multi-criteria decision-making techniques are discussed in this chapter, as they have the capability to solve a complex decision problem of selecting the right WTE technology which involves many factors. This chapter illustrates that the waste and process must closely match to achieve proper conversion of waste and better efficiency of a WTE technology. The continuous developments being made in process efficiency and process control of WTE facilities is expected to enhance the commercial feasibility of these conversion processes in the near future.