Integrated decision-support methodology for combined centralized-decentralized waste-to-energy management systems design

The rapid expansion of urban populations and concomitant increase in the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) exert considerable pressure on the conventional centralized MSW management system and are beginning to exceed disposal capacities. To tackle this issue, the conventional centralized MSW management system is more likely to evolve toward a more decentralized system with smaller capacity waste treatment facilities that are integrated at different levels of the urban environment, e.g., buildings, districts, and municipalities. In addition, MSW can become an important urban resource to address the rising energy consumption through waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies capable of generating electricity, heat, and biogas. This shift toward the combined centralized-decentralized waste-to-energy management system (WtEMS) requires an adapted decision-support methodology (DSM) that can assist decision-makers in analyzing MSW generation across large urban territories and designing optimal long-term WtEMS.