The tentative techno-economic analysis of municipal solid waste to energy in Rwanda. A case study of Kigali city

Abstract

Traditional cooking technologies are mostly used in developing countries. These technologies are hazardous to people's lives can have a harmful influence on the environment in general. Rwanda's strategic policy prioritizes electricity generation. The analysis revealed a significant issue with the country's energy balance. More than 83% of Rwanda's Biomass is used to generate energy. which includes firewood and charcoal. The country's challenge has been to find different technologies that can be used as an alternative to charcoal and wood. technology and municipal solid trash to briquette technology for cooking. Where the electricity and briquettes for cooking identified as the best technology for the municipal solid waste to energy. The techno-economic analysis of the municipal solid waste to electricity and to briquettes for cooking were undertaken by calculating the NPV, IRR, PB and BEP found that waste to electricity in Rwanda is possible but not alternative and the briquettes for cooking fuels confirmed to be the alternative technology for the municipal solid waste to energy compare with the cooking fuels used in Kigali as shown by the result where household composed by 4 people in Kigali city can use 0.932$ per day if used charcoal in cooking and for these ones uses liquefied petroleum gas it can cost them 0.3424$ per day. While for a household use briquettes for cooking can only use 0.207$ per day. The socio-economic impact of municipal solid waste to briquettes for cooking show that, more than 4,000 houses in the surrounding community receive sanitation services from COOCEN, which helps communities with garbage collection, city cleaning, and improved health and hygienic conditions. Briquettes burn more cleanly and efficiently, which reduces the production of extra greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. By preventing the burning of 1,800 tons of firewood year or the felling of at least 9,000 trees annually, or around 9 hectares of forest planting, briquetting project helps to reduce deforestation. Additionally, the initiative has helped to reduce 297 tons of CO2 emissions annually. The project also employs 110 people, largely women, who each make at least $50 per month. As demonstrated by COOCEN's briquettemaking initiative, it is crucial to support neighborhood-based groups as crucial players in environmental preservation. Furthermore, it showed how important socioeconomic advantages are to the long-term viability of a project. The house-to-house collection system and the franchise system, which encompassed the collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal of leftovers, have contributed to Kigali City, Rwanda, achieving advances in solid waste management.