Biodegradable waste to biogas: Renewable energy option for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Energy recovery from waste is not a new field of study, but its implementation continues to be a challenge in some Arab countries. Although there is abundance of useful waste in the urban markets, practices aiming at waste to conversion are still negligible. In the of Saudi Arabia, so-called green markets are abundant with renewable potential, but the practical implementation of this potential is missing. Therefore the objective of this paper is the evaluation of waste generation in KSA for the recovery purpose, and to show that the conversion of green waste into biofuel is not only environmentally friendly but also financially rewarding. Since the result illustrate that the major portion of the waste generated is organic waste, anaerobic digestion is proposed waste to technology because of its feasibility for biodegradation of moist organic wastes into biogas. Diversion of waste into biogas and bio-fertilizer will ensure that it is treated in such a way that it becomes a useful product instead of harmful one. Furthermore as the policy makers and planners in renewable sector have intended for of Saudi Arabia to be kingdom of sustainable energy as well, hence they are needed to give special attention toward the largest Saudi Arabia's green market and should invest more to implement this plan.