Assessment of waste to energy approaches to compensate for the shortage in energy supply in Gaza, Palestine

Abstract Natural resources are considered as a promising and reliable source of energy to use in Palestine, especially in Gaza Strip, which has a great lack of infrastructure and energy resources needed to meet the energy demand. Recently, this issue has gained more interest because of the increase in the electricity resources. This study focuses on a technical and economic analysis for a potential energy method for the generation of methane gas (waste‐to‐energy, WTE). It mainly focuses on taking Gaza Strip as case study. Four different WTE methods were investigated and analyzed from technical and economic viewpoints in order to determine the best‐case study to use in Gaza. The results underscore the significant potential of WTE technologies as a viable solution to alleviate energy shortages in Gaza. Incineration emerged as the most effective method for daily energy generation, producing approximately 565.554 MWh per day, followed by gasification, which generates around 291.176 MWh daily. A combined approach of incinerating combustible waste and using anaerobic digestion for organic waste could yield up to 800.853 MWh per day, offering a promising path to meeting the region’s energy needs. The recommendations for WTE adoption are provided for policymakers for implementation of appropriate WTE technology considering the highlighted technical, environmental and economic issues to ensure energy security in Gaza, Palestine.