Techno-economic and environmental analysis of organic municipal solid waste for energy production

Abstract

Addressing the critical conundrum of escalating municipal solid waste (MSW) and shrinking landfill spaces in urban areas, this research pioneers a sustainable approach for Bangladesh by exploring the potential of biogas production from MSW. Distinctly, it fills the research gap by providing a detailed techno-economic and environmental analysis of decentralized fixed-dome anaerobic digestion facilities in the urban context of Chittagong, Bangladesh, a domain previously underexplored. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of converting MSW into a renewable energy source, offering an innovative solution that simultaneously tackles waste management and energy generation challenges. Each proposed plant showcases the capability to generate 536 m³ of biogas daily, sufficient to power a 50 kW gas engine and supply 44 households, thereby contributing significantly to urban waste reduction and CO2 emissions mitigation by approximately 500 tons monthly. The economic analysis reveals an attractive investment payback period of two years, underscoring the model's viability and its potential as a replicable framework for similar urban settings grappling with waste management crises. This study not only bridges a critical knowledge gap but also introduces a novel, sustainable waste-to-energy model, marking a pivotal step towards achieving energy security and environmental sustainability in developing nations.