TY - JOUR
T1 - Decarbonization potential and economic viability of chemical recycling for China's transformation towards carbon neutrality
T2 - Case analysis of global warming potential and costs of municipal solid waste gasification for methanol production
AU - Voss, Raoul
AU - Lee, Roh Pin
AU - Keller, Florian
AU - Huang, Qiuliang
AU - Fröhling, Magnus
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - The waste and chemical sectors contribute significantly to China's carbon footprint. Linking these sectors via chemical recycling could contribute to achieving China's goal to decarbonize via defossilization. This study comparatively evaluates the decarbonization and economic potential of gasification-based chemical recycling of municipal solid waste against conventional waste treatment (i.e., landfilling and waste incineration). Results from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) indicate that not only does waste gasification exhibit higher global warming reduction potential than conventional treatment (e.g., -70 kg CO2-eq. per tonne of waste compared to currently expanding waste incineration), but this potential will also increase as China's energy mix becomes increasingly renewable (i.e., -320 kg CO2-eq). However, this decarbonization potential will also be associated with higher plant investments (+50 %) and a lower net present value (-20 %). Insights from this study enrich the Chinese discourse on sustainable waste management practices across scientific, regulatory, and industrial dimensions.
AB - The waste and chemical sectors contribute significantly to China's carbon footprint. Linking these sectors via chemical recycling could contribute to achieving China's goal to decarbonize via defossilization. This study comparatively evaluates the decarbonization and economic potential of gasification-based chemical recycling of municipal solid waste against conventional waste treatment (i.e., landfilling and waste incineration). Results from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) indicate that not only does waste gasification exhibit higher global warming reduction potential than conventional treatment (e.g., -70 kg CO2-eq. per tonne of waste compared to currently expanding waste incineration), but this potential will also increase as China's energy mix becomes increasingly renewable (i.e., -320 kg CO2-eq). However, this decarbonization potential will also be associated with higher plant investments (+50 %) and a lower net present value (-20 %). Insights from this study enrich the Chinese discourse on sustainable waste management practices across scientific, regulatory, and industrial dimensions.
KW - China
KW - Greenhouse gas emissions
KW - Life Cycle Assessment
KW - Methanol production
KW - Techno-Economic Analysis
KW - Waste gasification
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85191340588&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107613
DO - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107613
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85191340588
SN - 0921-3449
VL - 206
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
M1 - 107613
ER -