Construction completed on UAE's first waste-to-energy plant

Construction of the UAE's first waste-to-energy plant has been completed in Sharjah, with the project now entering the testing and commissioning phase.

Once fully operational, the facility will enable Sharjah to become the Middle East's first zero-waste city.

It will help divert up to 300,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill each year while producing 30 megawatts (MW) of low-carbon electricity, enough to power 28,000 homes.

The plant is the first project of Emirates Waste to Energy, a joint venture established by BEEAH Energy and Masdar.

Constructed by France-based industrial contractor CNIM, the plant covers an 80,000 sqm area and follows EU Best Available Techniques to align with the strictest environmental standards globally.

Unrecyclable waste is fed into a boiler to produce high-pressure steam, turning electric turbine generators.

Toxins and pollutants are filtered from the flue gas produced during the process.

Bottom ash is collected to recover metals and ash material for use in construction and roadwork applications, while fly ash is collected and treated separately.

Adjacent to the waste-to-energy plant is a waste-management complex operated by BEEAH Recycling, which has already helped achieve a 76 per cent landfill waste diversion rate in the emirate of Sharjah.

Unrecyclable waste from the complex will be transported to the waste-to-energy plant.