Electricity Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Nigeria: A Prospective LCA Study

Diverse opportunities and environmental impacts could occur from a potential move towards waste-to-energy (WtE) systems for electricity generation municipal solid waste (MSW) in Lagos Abuja, Nigeria. Given this, the purpose of this study is to use life cycle assessment (LCA) as primary analytical approach order undertake comparative analysis an impact perspective different WtE scenarios, along with diesel backup generators (DBGs) grid electricity. A functional unit 1 kilowatt-hour produced was used assessing following categories: abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) (ADP), global warming (GWP 100a), human toxicity (HTP), photochemical oxidation (POCP), acidification (AP), eutrophication (EP). The overall result indicated that anaerobic digestion (AD) had highest energy generated per one tonne MSW processed both (683 kWh/t) Abuja (667 kWh/t), while landfill gas (LFGTE) lowest (Lagos 171 kWh/t, 135 kWh/t). AD also amongst four cities based on all categories except POCP. In contrast, LFGTE ADP HTP. Extending include diesel-based (DBG) saw DBGs having (14.1 MJ), HTP (0.0732 Kg, 1.4 DB eq), AP (0.0129 Kg SO2 EP (0.00313 PO4 eq) GWP (0.497 CO2 (0.000296 (0.000061 eq). It concluded additional supply grid, its reduce reliance (worst scenario overall), would be positive action terms.