**Total reduction in emissions = A − B + C = 26,370** − **1845.90 + 2.90 = 24,527 million kg CO2 per year.**

Apart from the environmental performance of waste-to-energy plants, initial cost, operational cost, and return on investment are the key factors that the government or the investors considered in their decision. The initial cost of a waste-to-energy plant can be established considering its daily waste capacity. The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERTC) has established

**269**

quite low.

*A Comparative Study of MSW to Emery in Oman DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93745*

**5. Discussion and conclusion**

the initial cost of a waste-to-energy plant at a rate of US\$200,000 per daily ton of capacity. As the plant considered in the research has a capacity of 5000 tons per day, thus the initial cost of the plant can be estimated at US\$1000 million [65]. Similarly, a 1000 ton daily capacity of the plant would require a total of 60 personnel, thus at this rate, a 5000 ton daily capacity plant would be able to generate employment for 300 workers. The operating costs of waste-to-energy plants in China are calculated at approximately US\$30 per tons [66]. Depending on the life span of the plant, the operation cost can be up to 85% of the plants' total costs. If the plant has an estimated life of 40 years, then the cost of supply and construction can be 14% and the management and feasibility cost can be up to 1% of the total costs of the plant [67]. The research conducted by Carneiro and Gomes [68] established a levelized cost of electricity production from waste-to-energy plant at US\$64–89 per MWh. Similarly, the profit margin of a waste-to-energy plant can be up to 25% while the return on investment can be up to 18%. The payback period of such a plant is normally 13 years with an internal rate of return up to 11% [66]. The research conducted by Kaplan et al. [69] in the United States estimated the average cost of electricity production from MSW at a rate of four cents per kWh with average

revenue of US\$25 per tons of MSW used in a waste-to-energy plant.

The next section provides a discussion and conclusion of the research.

It is been now well recognized that the earth resources need to be utilized in a sustainable manner as there is no other plant to live in. The UN SDGs and the Paris Agreements are some of the main indicators which reflect the commitment of world leaders toward sustainability. The main sustainability indicators such as energy and wastes are recognized so importantly that they have been placed among the 17 goals that the UN aims to achieve by 2030. The access to clean and modern energy does not mean that the people on the earth should be able to cook their food with gas or electric oven rather than burning the wood. This is one of the aspects, but the scope of clean energy is quite vast. It is not only to ensure access to clean and affordable energy but also to ensure the sustainability of such energy. For instance, making energy from fossil fuel is not sustainable because of two reasons. First, fossil fuels are not guaranteed to be available forever, and second, the emissions produced by such resources have other negative impacts that cause climate change and global warming. Even though, there is still doubt among the society that an increase of 1°C in the earth temperature is not a big issue. But in reality, such an increase creates a big difference by melting the glacier in the north and south poles. Such melting of glaciers not only expands the sea and but also disturbs the natural distribution of the dry and water portions on the earth's surface. The change in the natural distribution of wet and dry portions on the earth can cause the load variations on the earth plates which can increase the earthquakes. Apart from this phenomenon, the glacier on the earth's surface helps to reduce the temperature of the lower plates of the earth and thus reduce the chances of volcanic actions. It is therefore important to move toward renewable and sustainable resources for energy. Globally, some countries have reflected good progress in adopting renewable and sustainable energy resources, but in other countries including the GCC region, such progress is

Similarly, the UN under its Goal 12, which is related to the consumption of earth resources and production, aims to minimize the effect of such consumption and production. The waste produced during consumption and production has somehow similar effects as fossil fuels have. Such waste, if not properly disposed and

*A Comparative Study of MSW to Emery in Oman DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93745*

*Biotechnological Applications of Biomass*

**268**

**Figure 8.**

equivalent per ton of MSW.

*Oman map showing different governorates.*

**per year** = **2.9 million kg CO2 per year.**

**24,527 million kg CO2 per year.**

Emissions per tons of MSW when disposed in landfilling = 1.58 ton per year CO2

Apart from the environmental performance of waste-to-energy plants, initial

Reduction in emissions per tons = 1.58 − 1.0 = 0.58 ton CO2 per year. Emissions from 5000 tons per year = 5000 × 0.58 = **2900 tons CO2**

**Total reduction in emissions = A − B + C = 26,370** − **1845.90 + 2.90 =** 

cost, operational cost, and return on investment are the key factors that the government or the investors considered in their decision. The initial cost of a waste-to-energy plant can be established considering its daily waste capacity. The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERTC) has established

the initial cost of a waste-to-energy plant at a rate of US\$200,000 per daily ton of capacity. As the plant considered in the research has a capacity of 5000 tons per day, thus the initial cost of the plant can be estimated at US\$1000 million [65]. Similarly, a 1000 ton daily capacity of the plant would require a total of 60 personnel, thus at this rate, a 5000 ton daily capacity plant would be able to generate employment for 300 workers. The operating costs of waste-to-energy plants in China are calculated at approximately US\$30 per tons [66]. Depending on the life span of the plant, the operation cost can be up to 85% of the plants' total costs. If the plant has an estimated life of 40 years, then the cost of supply and construction can be 14% and the management and feasibility cost can be up to 1% of the total costs of the plant [67]. The research conducted by Carneiro and Gomes [68] established a levelized cost of electricity production from waste-to-energy plant at US\$64–89 per MWh. Similarly, the profit margin of a waste-to-energy plant can be up to 25% while the return on investment can be up to 18%. The payback period of such a plant is normally 13 years with an internal rate of return up to 11% [66]. The research conducted by Kaplan et al. [69] in the United States estimated the average cost of electricity production from MSW at a rate of four cents per kWh with average revenue of US\$25 per tons of MSW used in a waste-to-energy plant.

The next section provides a discussion and conclusion of the research.
