Feasibility Study of a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Plant for Tripoli City, Libya

Solid waste is a long-lasting problem in Libya in general and particularly in urban areas. Libya annually generates about two million tons of municipal solid waste. Municipal solid waste (MSW) is getting importance in recent years for its role in economic and sustainable development. The economic development and population growth have resulted in the accumulation of solid waste that exceeds the current capacity of landfills and dump areas. This study investigated the feasibility of building a waste to energy (WtE) power plant in Tripoli city in Libya. The results show that the capacity of the proposed facility is about 100 MW of heat generated from waste based on incineration technology. The simulation results show that a power plant with a capacity of 27 MW
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can produce up to 201 MWh of electrical energy yearly. The Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is $100.7/MWh. Technology, cost and benefits of WtE plant are also discussed. Based on an economic analysis of a waste to energy project in Libya (Return on Investment, Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, and Sensitivity Analysis) the paper makes the conclusions.