Construction of the UAE’s first waste-to-energy plant has been completed, with the project now entering the testing and commissioning phase.
The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is the first project of Emirates Waste to Energy, a joint venture established by BEEAH Energy, the renewable energy business of BEEAH Group, and Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies.
Once tested, commissioned and operational, the plant will enable Sharjah to become the Middle East’s first zero-waste city, turning unrecyclable waste into clean energy and increasing the current landfill diversion rate from 76 percent to 100 percent. It will also help reduce waste sent to landfill across the UAE, while contributing to the nation’s clean energy resources.
At full operational capacity, the plant will help divert up to 300,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste away from landfill each year while producing 30 megawatts (MW) of low-carbon electricity, enough to power 28,000 homes in Sharjah.
“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,” Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, said. “This will also be a landmark moment as we work towards a zero-waste, clean-energy future for the nation, the region and beyond.”
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Masdar CEO, said with the project’s construction phase now complete, they looked forward to harnessing their knowledge in the growing waste-to-energy space to help tackle the global climate challenge through sustainable waste management enabled by clean energy solutions.
Constructed by France-based industrial contractor CNIM, the plant covers an 80,000 sqm area and follows EU Best Available Techniques to align with the strictest environmental standards globally.
Within the plant, unrecyclable waste is fed into a boiler to produce high-pressure steam, turning electric turbine generators. Toxins and pollutants are filtered from the flue gas produced during the process. Bottom ash is collected to recover metals and ash material for use in construction and roadwork applications, while fly ash is collected and treated separately.
Speaking about the impact the plant will have on clean energy in the region, Al Huraimel said, “We are confident that with a successful testing and commissioning period, and once the plant is fully operational, we will also demonstrate how waste-to-energy is an essential innovation to sustaining the circular economy, tackling the challenge of unrecyclable waste, and serving as a more affordable, low-carbon alternative to traditional fossil fuels.”
The 30 MW plant will displace almost 450,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year and preserve the equivalent of 45 million m3 of natural gas.
BEEAH and Masdar have begun exploring opportunities for the Emirates Waste to Energy company to open similar plants across the UAE and the wider region.