Techno-economic feasibility of waste-to-energy technologies for investment in Ghana: A multicriteria assessment based on fuzzy TOPSIS approach

Abstract

Over the years, Ghana has been challenged with erratic power cuts and load shedding, and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies have been identified as one of the solutions to remedy the situation. In the current study, a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is performed on four different WtE technologies viz anaerobic digestion, gasification, plasma arc gasification, and pyrolysis to identify the alternative with the most techno-economic advantage for investment in Ghana. The goal of the current study is achieved using a fuzzy TOPSIS approach. Five academic and field experts were employed to judge all four alternatives according to ten selected techno-economic criteria. The present study reveals that for all the alternatives under consideration, the most feasible WtE technology for investment in Ghana follows the order; gasification > anaerobic digestion > pyrolysis > plasma arc gasification. The most influential technical and economic criteria are energy generation per annum and initial investment, respectively. Sensitivity analysis shows a high degree of consistency, robustness, and stability in the obtained results. The current work recommends that the integration of anaerobic digestion and gasification should be promoted as it has the potential to offer a well-balanced WtE technology under both technical and economic conditions compared to the stand-alone systems. Findings from the current study could ease the decision-making of potential WtE technology investors in Ghana.