Comments on waste to energy technologies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Abstract

The main reason that drives many developing countries to pursue waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies is that it produces energy while eliminating build-up of large quantities of wastes, at a time, when oil and gas reserves are declining. The rate of generation of municipal solid wastes (MSW) in any given country depends on many factors including economy, population, and modernization of industry and infrastructure developments. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates that has grown to be one of the Middle East's most important economic centers. UAE has also become one of the highest waste producing countries due to fast development and growth; thus, UAE pursue modern technologies to covert generated wastes into energy. In this communication, the status of on-going waste to energy projects and WtE plants that are currently under design and construction in UAE are discussed. The need for development of WtE technologies is presented based on the literature, reports, economics and the environmental regulations.