Sustainable Energy Transition: Converting Textile Water Sludge (TWS) to Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) in Taiwan

Yen-Chen Chang () and Yun-Hwei Shen
Additional contact information
Yen-Chen Chang: Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
Yun-Hwei Shen: Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 701, Taiwan

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-25

Abstract: The conversion of textile water sludge (TWS) into solid recovered fuel (SRF) represents a promising approach to addressing environmental challenges, advancing waste-to-energy strategies, and promoting circular economy principles. This manuscript explores Taiwan’s innovative efforts in SRF production from textile industry waste, highlighting its integration into industrial processes, regulatory frameworks, and global relevance. The study examines the key technological processes involved, including sorting, drying, and torrefaction, which enhance fuel properties such as calorific value and combustion efficiency. Challenges related to raw material availability, quality control, economic viability, and public perception are analyzed alongside potential solutions such as advanced processing technologies, government incentives, and industry collaboration. Comparisons with international practices reveal Taiwan’s leadership in leveraging textile water sludge as a feedstock while identifying opportunities for further alignment with global standards and scalability. The environmental benefits of SRF, including waste reduction and greenhouse gas mitigation, are juxtaposed with risks like emissions control and high production costs. This comprehensive review underscores the potential of SRF production from textile water sludge as a sustainable solution for waste management and energy generation, contributing to Taiwan’s net-zero emissions goals and offering valuable insights for global adoption.

Keywords: solid recovered fuel (SRF); textile water sludge (TWS); waste-to-energy; circular economy; environmental sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/4/774/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/4/774/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:4:p:774-:d:1585982

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().