Potential for waste to energy generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana

Abstract

PurposeGlobally, waste management has been a topical issue in the past few decades due to the continual increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation that is becoming difficult to handle with conventional waste management techniques. The situation is much more pronounced in economically developing countries where population growth rate and urbanisation are becoming uncontrollable. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential for waste to energy generation in the Kumasi metropolis, the second-largest city in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachTo address the objectives of the study, a quantitative research approach, namely, the questionnaire was adopted. The data analysis was done using the statistical package for social sciences version 25, including both descriptive and inferential statistics to give an in-depth meaning to the responses from the participants.FindingsThe results showed that several factors hinder waste to energy technology in Ghana; key among them was high capital cost, high operational cost and lack of governmental support and policy framework. The results also revealed that 1 m3 of biogas generated from MSW in Kumasi could generate 36 MJ of energy, equivalent to 10 kW/h.Originality/valueThe unique contribution made by the paper is that it combines expert opinions, empirical data that included time series data and opinion of key actors in the waste management chain in assessing the potential for waste to energy generation in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana.