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This research aims to systematically analyze the scientific literature on the energy potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) and the main technologies for its energy recovery, evaluating technical performance, efficiency, and environmental impacts. The study was motivated by the urgency of sustainable management regarding global waste volumes and the need for decarbonization aligned with the circular economy. Methodologically, an exploratory and descriptive systematic review with a mixed approach was adopted, utilizing electronic database searches and screening guided by the PRISMA protocol via ASReview LAB. The results indicate that gasification and anaerobic digestion stand out as the most frequent routes in the literature, while energy potential analysis shows significant variations between estimated gross energy and effective energy produced, highlighting process losses and internal consumption. It is concluded that no single technology universally fits all MSW characteristics, making process combination and indicator standardization essential to optimize energy recovery and support the 2030 Agenda.
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Jasse et al. (2026) studied this question.
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