Biofuels and Bioenergy

Waste-to-Energy Technologies

Waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies play a crucial role in converting municipal, industrial, and agricultural waste into usable energy such as electricity, heat, and fuels. These technologies help address waste management challenges, reduce landfill usage, and contribute to renewable energy generation, supporting global efforts toward sustainability and a circular economy. Waste-to-energy processes convert organic and non-organic waste into energy in the form of electricity, heat, or biofuels. Direct burning of waste at high temperatures (850–1,100°C) to produce heat, steam, and electricity. Partial combustion of waste at high temperatures (700–1,500°C) with limited oxygen, converting it into syngas (H₂, CO, CH₄) for energy generation. Decomposition of waste at 500–900°C in an oxygen-free environment to produce bio-oil, syngas, and biochar. Microbial breakdown of organic waste (food scraps, sewage, manure) in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas (CH₄, CO₂) and digestate. Converts sugar-rich waste (agricultural residues, food waste, wood chips) into bioethanol through microbial fermentation.