Municipal Solid Wastes—A Promising Sustainable Source of Energy: A Review on Different Waste-to-Energy Conversion Technologies

Utilization of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) as a free resource of energy has gained popularity to reduce the use of conventional fuel. India, as a developing country having a major population residing in rural areas with unplanned societies, unscientific waste management is steeping at enormous rate. This paper highlights several waste-to-energy (WTE) conversion technologies incorporated for the utilization of MSW to produce useful energy. With high end research and development, pyrolysis and gasification processes incorporating enormous temperature and heating rates, has paved the way for the utilization of high density polymeric wastes in generating oil and synthetic gas as products for utilization as fuels having high calorific values. Utilization of kitchen, agricultural and other organic wastes is a promising energy resource to mitigate the dependency on conventional fuels, if scientifically adapted all over the geographical area. In particular, since animal rejects, food waste and agricultural remains cannot be altered, their utilization as fuel is a promising free source of energy. These wastes are fed for biogas production, along with production of alternative manure for farming through bio-methanation and composting. In view of applications in automobiles, aircrafts, and domestic purposes, conversion of methane enriched fuel into bio-diesel paves the way towards sustainable future. As the supply of conventional fuels are facing threat in view of scarcity and pollution caused by their usage, energy from MSW will eradicate the problems of landfills, pollution and other waste management issues, also economically benefiting the society with their livelihood.