A GIS-Based Suitability Analysis for Siting a Solid Waste Incineration Power Plant in an Urban Area Case Study: Alexandria Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Solid waste represents a key issue that threatens environmental quality in Egyptian urban areas. One of the most viable options to treat such an issue is to incinerate the collected solid waste for electricity generation, which can reduce the cost of solid waste disposal as well as pollution and generate surplus energy. Selecting appropriate site for a solid waste incineration power plant is a crucial step due to its economic and environmental implications. This would require assessing various constraining and favorable factors that determine feasibility and sustainability of the power plant site. This paper is intended to develop a GIS-based model for siting a municipal solid waste incineration power plant in Alexandria governorate, Egypt. For this purpose, five criteria are considered and a composite index was suggested to integrate these criteria in a numerical term reflecting suitability of various parts of the governorate for siting solid waste incineration power plant.