DEVELOPING A MANAGERIAL FRAMEWORK FOR WASTE-TO-ENERGY IN PALESTINE: THE CASE STUDY OF ZAHRAT AL-FINJAN LANDFILL
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Date
2023-10-20
Authors
Sara Fawaz Mohammad Hamza
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Abstract
Because of global population evolution and enhanced living standards, there's an orientation to renewable energy sources. One choice is using waste to generate electricity. The occupied Palestinian territories depends on imported electricity, encounter issues due to inaccurate waste management and large amount of municipal waste. This study focuses on the West Bank region, specifically Jenin's Zahrat Al-Finjan dump (88% capacity). It aims to evaluate the environmental and economic effects of waste-to-energy systemsfocusing on landfilling, incineration, and anaerobic digestion. Each method undergoes a SWOT analysis to distinguish its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This study started with a comprehensive literature review of Palestine's waste management andenergy demand. After that, it examines the waste-to-energy systems. Initial investment, potential electricity production, and environmental effects are compared between the three techniques. Information was collected through a set of semi-structured interviews with key members and officers in the relevant Palestinian government entities responsible for energy, environmental, and municipal solid waste management.
The economic analysis examines critical factors such as initial investment, Net Present Value (NPV), Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Simple Payback Period (SPP). The analysis uses the data provided for each waste-to-energy system to evaluate their economic feasibility. The results showed the importance of having a managerial framework for waste-to-energy in Palestine. The LCOE analysis compares costs of investment and operation for electricity generation techniques. Landfill has the lowest cost, followed by incineration, then digestion. Landfill is most cost-effective because of small expenses. Digestion more costs due to investment and lower electricity potential. IRR analysis shows that digestion has the highest profit potential, then landfill, and incineration with a slightly lower return. SPP analysis ranks landfill first in payback time, then incineration, and digestion last, indicating quicker cost recovery. Landfills generate 18.62 GWh of electricity annually but encounter issues such as methane emissions and limited area. Incineration includes high-temperature waste burning, proposing a modern approach with startup costs of $110 million. It yields 200 GWh of annual electricity via steam-powered turbines. Anaerobic digestion processes organic waste without oxygen, generating biogas. Fixing and maintaining this system costs $90 million. Digestion produces 23 GWh/year of electricity, reduces emissions, and yields fertilizer-rich composte.
Keywords: landfill, Zahrat Al-Finjan landfill, NPV, Incineration, Waste to energy, SWOT analysis, Anaerobic digestion.