A comprehensive framework for assessing waste and biomass availability: A case study of Bangladesh’s resource potential

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Biomass is increasingly recognized as a strategic renewable energy source in developing countries seeking energy independence and climate resilience. This study develops a spatially resolved, data-driven framework for assessing the sustainable availability and energy conversion potential of biomass feedstocks in Bangladesh. A bottom-up methodology was employed to quantify five major resource streams, including livestock manure, agricultural residues, municipal solid waste (MSW), forest biomass, and biosolids, while accounting for competitive uses, recovery efficiencies, and processing losses. Geographic information systems (GIS) were integrated to generate high-resolution spatial inventories across all administrative districts, supporting targeted bioenergy planning and identifying regional biomass co-utilization hotspots for biorefinery siting. Results indicate Bangladesh produces approximately 193.6 million oven-dry tons (ODT) of livestock manure, 64.9 million ODT of agricultural residues, 12.1 million ODT of forest biomass, 6.0 million ODT of MSW, and 1157.8 k ODT of sludge annually. These feedstocks can be thermochemically converted mainly via pyrolysis, which yields an estimated 47.77 million tons of biochar and 4.84 million tons of hydrogen per year. The projected hydrogen energy output corresponds to roughly 88,700 GWh of electricity, equating to 85% of the country’s 2024 electricity consumption. The novelty of this work lies in its holistic integration of spatial analytics and energy systems modeling, offering the first comprehensive biomass resource atlas and valorization roadmap for Bangladesh. The findings inform future applications in industrial decarbonization, rural electrification, and policy frameworks supporting circular and low-carbon energy transitions.