CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE ON FIRST WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANT
▶ Sharjah complex is set to produce enough low-carbon electricity to power 28,000 homes
Construction of the UAE’s first waste-to-energy plant has been completed and systems testing is now under way.
The project will help Sharjah to become the first zero-waste city in the Middle East and supports the country’s ambitions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The plant will turn non-recyclable waste into clean energy and ensure nothing is sent to landfill, state news agency Wam reported.
About a quarter of Sharjah’s waste currently ends up in the ground.
At full capacity, the plant will help to divert up to 300,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year, while producing 30 megawatts of low-carbon electricity – enough to power 28,000 homes.
The plant will displace about 450,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and preserve the equivalent of 45 million cubic metres of natural gas.
The plant is the first project under Emirates Waste to Energy, a joint venture involving Beeah Energy and Masdar.
Khaled Al Huraimel, group chief executive of Beeah, said the commissioning of the plant represented a major step forward in the country’s sustainability efforts.
“Completion of construction is an important milestone for our Emirates Waste to Energy venture as we continue to pioneer clean energy,” he said.
“We look forward to a successful testing and commissioning phase followed by achieving full operations, which will make Sharjah the Middle East’s first zero-waste city.
“We are confident that once the plant is fully operational, we will also show how waste-to-energy is essential to sustaining the circular economy, tackling the challenge of unrecyclable waste and serving as a more affordable, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels.”
Mohamed Al Ramahi, chief executive of Masdar, said the site would be vital to addressing climate change.
“We look forward to harnessing our knowledge in the growing waste-to-energy space to help tackle the global climate challenge through sustainable waste management enabled by clean energy solutions,” he said.
The 80,000-square-metre plant was built by French industrial contractor CNIM.
Non-recyclable waste is fed into a boiler to produce steam at high pressure, turning electric turbine generators.
Toxins and pollutants are filtered from the flue gases produced by the process.
Bottom ash is collected to recover metals and ash material to be used in construction and roadwork, while fly ash is also collected and treated.
Non-recyclable waste will be taken to the plant from a nearby waste management complex operated by Beeah.
Emirates Waste to Energy aims to open similar plants across the country.
“Our goal is to realise a zero-waste, clean-energy future, starting with the UAE, where we are driven by the Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative,” Mr Al Huraimel said.
In October, the UAE set out plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The initiative will involve Dh600 billion ($163.37bn) being invested in clean and renewable energy sources over the next three decades.
Abu Dhabi officials have said it has plans to ensure no waste is sent to landfill after 2071.
The zero-waste proposal, made at an online discussion of conservation plans, is part of the emirate’s Environmental Centennial 2071, a 50-year timetable launched by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
Officials said the plans include using unmanned vehicles to clean the streets.
The UAE is supporting global efforts to address climate change and will host the 28th UN climate change conference, or Cop28, in 2023.