Designing an Optimal Biogas Plant Network for Food Waste: Impacts of Recycling Targets on Waste-to-Energy Systems

Abstrakt

en

The transition to a circular economy is a key trend in waste management, particularly in achieving higher separation and recycling rates for municipal waste. Food waste is a critical component of this transformation, requiring the development of appropriate collection and treatment infrastructure. Meanwhile, Waste-to-Energy plants are either already operational or being planned, primarily focusing on mixed waste fractions. However, increased separation rates may reduce the availability of waste for incineration, potentially affecting the profitability of Waste-to-Energy projects. This study proposes an optimal network of biogas plants to accommodate the increasing volume of food waste, aligning with predefined recycling targets and anticipated waste production trends. Additionally, it assesses the impacts on existing and planned Waste-to-Energy plants. A mixed integer linear optimization model with a multi-level network structure is employed to keep lower computation demands even in large-scale tasks. A case study in Czech Republic including 6,258 production and 563 treatment nodes demonstrates that projected waste production scenarios could have a significant impact. The average waste transport distance doubles, and the calorific value of incinerated waste may increase by up to 1.4 MJ/kg. The projected infrastructure of 10 Waste-to-Energy plants with an annual capacity of 1,820 kt is already sufficient and to enhance transport efficiency, the establishment of 23 transfer stations is recommended. Furthermore, to meet future demand for food waste treatment, supplementation of the existing 13 facilities with the construction of 22 additional biogas plants is recommended, expanding the annual capacity from 238 kt to 756 kt.

Energy recovery; Waste separation; Treatment infrastructure planning; Supply chain optimization; Calorific value

2025-10-10

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