Technologies potential and economic viability analysis of deriving electricity from Municipal Solid Waste in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

As an outcome of rapid economic development and population growth, Municipal Solid Waste production has increased in Kumasi. Increased development of urban solid waste impacts the city's climate and presents many health risks. Aside from increased municipal solid waste generation, population and industrial growth have caused high electricity demand in Kumasi. Therefore, the current study analyzes the electricity production prospects of MSW in Kumasi with landfill gas (LFG) to energy in addition to techs from anaerobic digestion (AD). From 2020 to 2039, Kumasi's municipal solid waste generation capacity is projected. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the economic viability of LFG for energy and anaerobic digestion (AD) projects. Moreover, a sensitivity study was carried out to assess the influence on the projects' economic viability of the adjustments in some presumed variables. Findings show that waste generation potential in Kumasi during the project period is from 915 thousand to 3.2 million tons per year. Anaerobic digestion technology was found to have the highest potential for power generation. The study recognized that the LFG to energy project requires a lower total life cycle cost. However, it is less economical in Kumasi compared with anaerobic digestion. The sensitivity analysis revealed that all projects are not feasible when operating at a higher discount rate. Once run at a discount rate exceeding 25%, the LFG to power project is not viable, the anaerobic digestion project, on the other hand, is not practicable at a discount rate of more than 20%.