IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v14y2025i8p131-d1729145.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bio-Waste to Bioenergy: Critical Assessment of Sustainable Energy Supply Chain in Egypt

Author

Listed:
  • Noha Said

    (Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt)

  • Raid Alrowais

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Jouf University, Sakakah 72388, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mahmoud M. Abdel-Daiem

    (Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
    Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Shaqra University, Dawadmi 11911, Saudi Arabia)

  • Noha A. Mostafa

    (Industrial Engineering Department, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
    Mechanical Engineering Department, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk 11837, Egypt)

Abstract

This study analyses the potential electricity output from different bio wastes using various energy conversion technologies to enhance the share of renewable energy. Furthermore, it evaluates the carbon emissions mitigated by replacing fossil fuels with bioenergy, contributing to efforts to reduce environmental pollution. The findings reveal that Egypt’s annual biomass waste (BW) could total approximately 80 million tons, with the most significant contributions from agricultural crop residues and municipal solid waste (MSW). MSW incineration and crop residue combustion were found to have the highest power generation compared to other techniques. Additionally, the anaerobic digestion of various biomass types offers the benefits of lower greenhouse gas emissions while still generating significant energy. The electricity generation from different BW sources is approximately 49.14 TWh/year. This energy can be predominantly generated through direct combustion of agricultural crop residues (66%), incineration of MSW (29%), anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge (3%), and animal waste (2%). Furthermore, the reduction in carbon emissions from substituting fossil fuels with bioenergy is estimated at up to 30.47 million tons of CO 2 annually, supporting efforts to mitigate climate change and combat global warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Noha Said & Raid Alrowais & Mahmoud M. Abdel-Daiem & Noha A. Mostafa, 2025. "Bio-Waste to Bioenergy: Critical Assessment of Sustainable Energy Supply Chain in Egypt," Resources, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:8:p:131-:d:1729145
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/8/131/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/8/131/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gagandeep Kaur & Yadwinder Singh Brar & D.P. Kothari, 2017. "Potential of Livestock Generated Biomass: Untapped Energy Source in India," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Usama Konbr & Walid Bayoumi & Mohamed N. Ali & Ahmed Salah Eldin Shiba, 2022. "Sustainability of Egyptian Cities through Utilizing Sewage and Sludge in Softscaping and Biogas Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Safwat Hemidat & Ouafa Achouri & Loubna El Fels & Sherien Elagroudy & Mohamed Hafidi & Benabbas Chaouki & Mostafa Ahmed & Isla Hodgkinson & Jinyang Guo, 2022. "Solid Waste Management in the Context of a Circular Economy in the MENA Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-24, January.
    4. KeChrist Obileke & Golden Makaka & Stephen Tangwe & Patrick Mukumba, 2025. "Improvement of biogas yields in an anaerobic digestion process via optimization technique," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 15025-15051, July.
    5. Yongzhong Jiang & Valerii Havrysh & Oleksandr Klymchuk & Vitalii Nitsenko & Tomas Balezentis & Dalia Streimikiene, 2019. "Utilization of Crop Residue for Power Generation: The Case of Ukraine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-21, December.
    6. Ra’ed Nahar Myyas & Marcos Tostado-Véliz & Manuel Gómez-González & Francisco Jurado, 2023. "Review of Bioenergy Potential in Jordan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, January.
    7. Amiri-Pebdani, Sima & Alinaghian, Mahdi & Safarzadeh, Soroush, 2022. "Time-Of-Use pricing in an energy sustainable supply chain with government interventions: A game theory approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    8. Abdel Wahaab, Rifaat & Mahmoud, Mohamed & van Lier, Jules B., 2020. "Toward achieving sustainable management of municipal wastewater sludge in Egypt: The current status and future prospective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    9. Ouda, O.K.M. & Raza, S.A. & Nizami, A.S. & Rehan, M. & Al-Waked, R. & Korres, N.E., 2016. "Waste to energy potential: A case study of Saudi Arabia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 328-340.
    10. Wang, Qiang & Jiang, Feng & Li, Rongrong, 2022. "Assessing supply chain greenness from the perspective of embodied renewable energy – A data envelopment analysis using multi-regional input-output analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 1292-1305.
    11. Suzan Abdelhady & Mohamed A. Shalaby & Ahmed Shaban, 2021. "Techno-Economic Analysis for the Optimal Design of a National Network of Agro-Energy Biomass Power Plants in Egypt," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    12. Tan, Sie Ting & Hashim, Haslenda & Lim, Jeng Shiun & Ho, Wai Shin & Lee, Chew Tin & Yan, Jinyue, 2014. "Energy and emissions benefits of renewable energy derived from municipal solid waste: Analysis of a low carbon scenario in Malaysia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 797-804.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ahmed Shaban & Fatma-Elzahraa Zaki & Islam H. Afefy & Giulio Di Gravio & Andrea Falegnami & Riccardo Patriarca, 2022. "An Optimization Model for the Design of a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Qahtan Thabit & Abdallah Nassour & Michael Nelles, 2022. "Facts and Figures on Aspects of Waste Management in Middle East and North Africa Region," Waste, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-29, November.
    3. Mota, Francisco A.S. & Costa Filho, J.T. & Barreto, G.A., 2019. "The Nile tilapia viscera oil extraction for biodiesel production in Brazil: An economic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Mohsen Jamali & Esmaeil Bakhshandeh & Mohammad Yaghoubi Khanghahi & Carmine Crecchio, 2021. "Metadata Analysis to Evaluate Environmental Impacts of Wheat Residues Burning on Soil Quality in Developing and Developed Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Feng, Fenling & Zhang, Jiaqi & Liu, Chengguang, 2023. "Integrated pricing mechanism of China Railway Express whole-process logistics based on the Stackelberg game," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 609(C).
    6. Abderahman Rejeb & Karim Rejeb & Suhaiza Zailani & Yasanur Kayikci & John G. Keogh, 2023. "Examining Knowledge Diffusion in the Circular Economy Domain: a Main Path Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 125-166, March.
    7. Olawale Ogunrinde & Ekundayo Shittu, 2023. "Benchmarking performance of photovoltaic power plants in multiple periods," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 489-503, September.
    8. Wang, Meng & Infante Ferreira, Carlos A., 2017. "Absorption heat pump cycles with NH3 – ionic liquid working pairs," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 819-830.
    9. Amiri-Pebdani, Sima & Alinaghian, Mahdi & Khosroshahi, Hossein, 2023. "Pricing in competitive energy supply chains considering government interventions to support CCS under cap-and-trade regulations: A game-theoretic approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    10. Roy, S. & Lam, Y.F. & Hossain, M.U. & Chan, J.C.L., 2022. "Comprehensive evaluation of electricity generation and emission reduction potential in the power sector using renewable alternatives in Vietnam," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. El-Sattar, Hoda Abd & Kamel, Salah & Hassan, Mohamed H. & Jurado, Francisco, 2022. "An effective optimization strategy for design of standalone hybrid renewable energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    12. Pochwatka, Patrycja & Rozakis, Stelios & Kowalczyk-Juśko, Alina & Czekała, Wojciech & Qiao, Wei & Nägele, Hans-Joachim & Janczak, Damian & Mazurkiewicz, Jakub & Mazur, Andrzej & Dach, Jacek, 2023. "The energetic and economic analysis of demand-driven biogas plant investment possibility in dairy farm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    13. Hynek Roubík & Jana Mazancová & Phung Le Dinh & Dung Dinh Van & Jan Banout, 2018. "Biogas Quality across Small-Scale Biogas Plants: A Case of Central Vietnam," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-12, July.
    14. Santagata, R. & Ripa, M. & Ulgiati, S., 2017. "An environmental assessment of electricity production from slaughterhouse residues. Linking urban, industrial and waste management systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(P2), pages 175-188.
    15. Chau, C.K. & Xu, J.M. & Leung, T.M. & Ng, W.Y., 2017. "Evaluation of the impacts of end-of-life management strategies for deconstruction of a high-rise concrete framed office building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1595-1603.
    16. Kumar, Aman & Singh, Ekta & Mishra, Rahul & Lo, Shang Lien & Kumar, Sunil, 2023. "Global trends in municipal solid waste treatment technologies through the lens of sustainable energy development opportunity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    17. Oleg Bazaluk & Valerii Havrysh & Vitalii Nitsenko & Tomas Baležentis & Dalia Streimikiene & Elena A. Tarkhanova, 2020. "Assessment of Green Methanol Production Potential and Related Economic and Environmental Benefits: The Case of China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-25, June.
    18. Guo, Qingbin & Peng, Yanqing & Luo, Kang, 2025. "The impact of artificial intelligence on energy environmental performance: Empirical evidence from cities in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    19. Oleg Bazaluk & Valerii Havrysh & Mykhailo Fedorchuk & Vitalii Nitsenko, 2021. "Energy Assessment of Sorghum Cultivation in Southern Ukraine," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-22, July.
    20. Ji, Jingna & Li, Tao & Yang, Lei, 2023. "Pricing and carbon reduction strategies for vertically differentiated firms under Cap-and-Trade regulation," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:8:p:131-:d:1729145. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.