SHARJAH, 14th May, 2023 (WAM) — The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant, the first of its kind in the Middle East, has reached significant milestones since its inauguration a year ago. Connected to the Sharjah electrical grid, the plant has successfully generated enough energy to power over 2,000 homes annually, while offsetting 150,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
Approximately 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the UAE stem from household and industrial waste decomposing in landfills. Since its establishment, the plant has processed over 100,000 tonnes of waste, equivalent to the output of 180,000 people per year, and has recovered over 250 tonnes of metal. Consequently, Sharjah has achieved a remarkable waste diversion rate of 90 percent, setting a new record on its zero-waste-to-landfill journey.
Launched in May 2022, the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is a collaboration between BEEAH Group, a sustainability pioneer in the Middle East, and Masdar, a leading clean energy company. Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress, stating that the plant demonstrates the positive impact of energy innovations on sustainable waste management and clean energy production.
The plant aims to produce 30 MW of power annually while processing 300,000 tonnes of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. Over a 12-month period, it is expected to offset 450,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, praised the milestone of processing 100,000 tonnes of waste within the plant’s first year of operation. He emphasized the plant’s contribution to Sharjah’s landfill waste diversion success and the UAE’s goal of diverting 75 percent of solid waste from landfills. Al Ramahi also expressed eagerness to increase research and development investments in waste-to-energy projects to further reduce global carbon emissions and minimize waste in landfills.
Situated in the Al Sajaa area of Sharjah, the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant operates alongside BEEAH’s integrated waste management complex, which includes recycling facilities facilitating higher rates of landfill waste diversion.
The plant employs incineration to process waste and adheres to European Union environmental standards in treating flue gas. The heat produced during the incineration process is recovered and used in a steam boiler to power an electrical turbine, generating electricity. The plant boasts industry-leading boiler and thermal efficiency rates.
In December of last year, BEEAH and Masdar partnered with Veolia Near & Middle East to operate and maintain the waste-to-energy plant for 25 years, following international best practices. To date, the plant has treated an impressive 463 million m3 of air, equivalent to filling the Burj Khalifa 255 times.
The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is the flagship project of the Emirates Waste to Energy joint venture between BEEAH and Masdar. The joint venture aims to introduce additional waste-to-energy plants in the UAE and the wider region, leading the way in integrated solutions for zero-waste to landfill and net-zero emissions.
