Converting waste into energy: Ecological, Economic & Social Dimensions

Abstract

Solid Waste Management has become a serious concern in the states of India. In today’s world a huge amount of solid waste is burned in the open or dumped haphazardly, especially in developing countries. Such practices put pressure on land, air, and water quality, and pose threats to human health. Electricity is one option that can be produced from solid waste through waste to energy (WtE) plants. Waste to energy plants generates clean, reliable energy and thus reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The paper tends to examine how management of solid waste can generate electricity. The WtE plants are efficient in generating electricity from solid waste. In general, 166 million ton of solid waste, if treated in WTE plants, can on an average generate approximately 100 TW h or 600 kW h per ton of electricity. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (2011) estimates, there exists a potential of about 1457 MW from MSW but a very small amount of it have been exploited. The government is offering various incentives/ assistance to companies engaged in waste to energy sector. Thus, WtE plants are an alternative that solves a dual problem of both solid waste management and electricity shortage in India.