Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre (Tadweer) on August 17 signed a consultancy agreement with KEO International Consultants to conduct a feasibility study for developing a project to extract greenhouse gases from Al Dhafra landfill and convert them into sustainable energy.
This aligns with the center’s vision to achieve an efficient waste management system and use the best methods for processing and handling waste, WAM reported.
Scope of agreement
Under the agreement, KEO International Consultants will provide consulting services and a feasibility study that focuses on the technical, financial, and environmental aspects of the development and operation of the project to extract and convert gas into environmentally-friendly energy sources.
This will include studying the requirements of the local market and the UAE’s needs for the project and areas for benefiting from the greenhouse gases generated in the landfill in Al Dhafra, a sprawling region in the western part of UAE.
The agreement also includes drilling operations, gas pumping tests and the quantities expected to be generated within 10 years within the specified site, as well as evaluating the properties of the extracted gas.
Abdul Mohsen Mubarak Al Kathiri, director of Projects and Facilities Department at Tadweer, said, “The signing of the contract comes as part of the center’s efforts to enhance cooperation with the concerned parties to develop waste treatment services, convert waste into energy, and invest it in a sustainable and safe manner that supports the national economy, and serves the sustainable development goals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”
The landfill in Al Dhafra has undertaken significant environmental efforts represented in the extraction and sorting of recyclable materials from the landfill in order to reduce environmental impact and achieve optimal use of resources.
Waste-to-energy is not a new method of energy generation, with the first steps into the method believed to have been taken as early as the 18th century, but the practice has gained momentum in the Middle East over the past few years.