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High potential of urban area originally inedible food waste for bioenergy to mitigate climate change

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Weiguo
  • Ma, Zemeng
  • Wang, Kui
  • Fang, Mingjie
  • Gan, Xiaofan
  • Guo, Bingqian
  • Xie, Jingcong
  • Peng, Changhui

Abstract

Original Inedible Food Waste (OIFW) represents a significant untapped resource that could generate considerable bioenergy and help combat climate change; however, the potential availability for bioenergy and associated mitigation effects has not been rigorously assessed. Here, we quantified the amount of OIFW available in urban areas worldwide, and evaluated the contribution to climate change and mitigation effect when OIFW was used for producing combined heat and power (CHP). Our analysis revealed that the world’s total potential available OIFW was 11.896–71.204 million ton carbon and could provide 239.911–1197.487 PJ bioenergy. The overall contribution to climate change ranged from −22.567 ± 0.265 to −420.332 ± 10.395 million ton CO2 eq. The maximum possible mitigation effect is estimated at 554.94 ± 10.395 million tons CO2 equivalent (up to 17.9 % of the global CO2 emissions from natural gas-derived electricity and heat), with a minimum effect at around 47.769 ± 0.265 million ton CO2 eq. Therefore, an early deployment of OIFW collection system for CHP is in need to harness OIFW as a resource for bioenergy and a solution for climate change mitigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Weiguo & Ma, Zemeng & Wang, Kui & Fang, Mingjie & Gan, Xiaofan & Guo, Bingqian & Xie, Jingcong & Peng, Changhui, 2025. "High potential of urban area originally inedible food waste for bioenergy to mitigate climate change," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:337:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225043075
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138665
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    References listed on IDEAS

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