Thermoeconomic and environmental feasibility of waste-to-energy combined heat and power units: a case study from Western Iran

Ramezan Taheri (), Touraj Nasrabadi () and Hossein Yousefi ()
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Ramezan Taheri: University of Tehran
Touraj Nasrabadi: University of Tehran
Hossein Yousefi: University of Tehran

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 9, No 90, 22665-22690

Abstract: Abstract This study investigated the thermoeconomic and environmental feasibility of a waste-to-energy combined heat and power (WtE-CHP) unit for Ilam Industrial Zone (IIZ), western Iran. To this end, the energy demand and supply of the industrial zone in the period 2016–2041 was modeled using LEAP (Low Emissions Analysis Platform) software. Then, in different scenarios, energy demand and supply trends were modeled for nine energy generation technologies. According to the baseline scenario, the demand for energy carriers in the industrial area, which was 338.2 thousand BOE in 2016, would gradually increase and reach 761.1 thousand BOE in 2041. The total environmental emissions are expected to rise from USD 1.667 million in the base year to more than USD 3.760 million in the end year. The waste generated in 2041 would be sufficient for a design capacity of 15.5 MW to provide 50% of the energy requirement of CHPsystems in the IIZ. However, a small CHP gas plant with a 3–5 MW capacity should be built nearby. The cost of reducing carbon fluctuated, with the best case occurring at 8 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity, in which case the net present value was USD − 53.9 million, and the cost of reducing carbon was USD − 17.6 per ton. The findings showed that WtE-CHP units while having a thermoeconomic justification for the IIZ would be very useful in reducing the environmental damage caused by waste disposal in the city.

Keywords: Incinerator; Syngas; Gasifier; Biogas; Anaerobic digestion; Landfill; LEAP; Modeling; Forecast (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-022-02486-1

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