Techno-economic and environment assessment of landfill and sewage treatment plant-based combined power generation system: a case study for Dhaka

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in Bangladesh is increasing as the country is accelerating toward ever-increasing urbanization, accompanied by rapid economic expansion and population growth. Bangladesh's energy demand is also rising faster than supply. As a result, the importance of an effective waste management framework is growing in Bangladesh, and the establishment of waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities has become an absolute necessity for ensuring life quality and sustainable economic development. The purpose of this research is to assess the techno-economic viability of two distinct WtE technologies-based biogas power plants under different scenarios of Dhaka city and to encourage the development and implementation. Estimation of biogas extraction from the landfills and sewage treatment plants have been conducted and calculated the energy potential and economic viability based on the population projection of Dhaka. The optimal scenario from an energy and financial standpoint is the combined use of biogas from sewage treatment plants and landfills. This scenario resulted in an installed power generation capacity of 21 MW that is sufficient to power about 7336 residents in Dhaka. In terms of economics, the most profitable option is the isolated use of biogas sewage treatment, attributed to its high profitability index value compared to other scenarios. The findings demonstrate the potential and viability of using biogas in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Automated summary

With the acceleration of urbanization, rapid economic expansion, and population growth in Bangladesh, the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is increasing. The establishment of waste-to-energy (WtE) facilities has become imperative for ensuring life quality and sustainable economic development. This research evaluates the techno-economic viability of biogas power plants based on different scenarios in Dhaka city and emphasizes the importance of their development and implementation. The findings indicate that the combined use of biogas from sewage treatment plants and landfills offers the optimal solution both in terms of energy generation and profitability.