Waste-to-Energy Technologies in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study and Review of Waste Conversion and Energy Recovery

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies in Saudi Arabia, focusing on municipal solid waste (MSW) across various cities, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia generates approximately 16 million tons of MSW annually, primarily composed of organic matter (37–57%), followed by paper (11–28%) and plastics (5–36%). According to Vision 2030 projections, MSW generation is expected to increase to approximately 30 million tons per year by 2033, driven by population growth, urbanization, and increased tourism activities. Waste quantities notably increase during the Hajj and Ramadan seasons. The study assesses three main WTE technologies: biochemical, chemical, and thermochemical processes. Anaerobic digestion (AD) effectively converts organic waste into biogas with a methane content of 60% to 80%, potentially yielding up to 2.99 TWh annually. Transesterification efficiently targets fats in waste, generating around 244.2 GWh per year. Thermochemical processes, including incineration, gasification, and pyrolysis, are suitable for high-calorific waste. Incineration can significantly reduce waste volume and generate up to 2073 MW while lowering GHG emissions. Economic assessments reveal that biochemical methods are the most cost-effective for managing organic waste, while thermochemical methods, despite higher capital costs, achieve significant energy recovery. Integrating WTE technologies with recycling is crucial for enhancing environmental sustainability and supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.