From Trash to Treasure: Systematic Evaluation of Potential and Efficiency of Waste-to-Energy Incineration for Electricity Generation

Nontobeko Gloria Maphuhla () and Opeoluwa Oyehan Oyedeji
Additional contact information
Nontobeko Gloria Maphuhla: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, 1 King Williams Town Road, Private Bag X1314, Alice Campus, Alice 5700, South Africa
Opeoluwa Oyehan Oyedeji: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, 1 King Williams Town Road, Private Bag X1314, Alice Campus, Alice 5700, South Africa

Waste, 2025, vol. 3, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: The massive production of municipal solid waste presents a significant global challenge for sustainable urban development and maintaining citizens’ quality of life, requiring effective management and disposal strategies. Waste-to-energy incineration technology has become increasingly important as a solution that simultaneously addresses the growing volumes of municipal solid waste and rising energy needs worldwide. This comprehensive review examines the research findings on the effectiveness of incineration as a waste-to-energy conversion method. The primary goal was to conduct a thorough systematic review assessing WtE incineration effectiveness across several key areas: energy recovery efficiency, waste volume reduction capabilities, environmental impact, and economic feasibility. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across ScienceDirect and additional pertinent databases, utilizing appropriate search terms in accordance with the PRISMA framework. A total of 431 studies were systematically identified, published between 2015 and 2025, and only 25 relevant studies were included in this review. Researchers collected data focusing on energy recovery percentages, volume reduction rates, emission reductions, and economic performance metrics. The findings revealed that every study included in the analysis showed positive results for WtE incineration across various performance measures. This research discovered the feasibility of generating electrical power from garbage through WtE incineration processes. The projected energy yields, ranging from gigawatt-hours to kilowatt-hours, were quantified for several nations, including Mexico (11,681.64 GWh), Cambodia (1625.81 GWh), Bangladesh (187.04 GWh), South Africa (6944 GWh), Iran (17,678 GWh), Nigeria (10,000 GWh), Indonesia (2487 MWh), Algeria (11.6 MWh), China (2316.52 MWh), Iraq (203.917 MWh), Uganda (774 kWh), and Pakistan (675 kWh). Energy recovery efficiency demonstrated a wide range from 30% to 92.75%, with waste volume reduction consistently reaching 90–95% levels, significantly prolonging landfill operational lifespans. From an environmental perspective, technology achieved greenhouse gas emission reductions ranging from 30% to 87%. This dual-purpose approach makes it an attractive, sustainable solution for both waste management and renewable energy production. By adopting this approach, cities can address waste and energy issues while boosting economic growth and job creation. However, it also involves substantial costs, technical difficulties, and environmental hazards that necessitate meticulous oversight.

Keywords: waste-to-energy; municipal solid waste; incineration; electricity generation; waste reduction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q16 Q18 Q2 Q20 Q23 Q24 Q25 Q28 Q3 Q31 Q38 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/3/4/39/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/3/4/39/ (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:jwaste:v:3:y:2025:i:4:p:39-:d:1796057

Access Statistics for this article

Waste is currently edited by Mr. Sumail Li

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