Image via Wikipedia
Municipal solid wastes represent the best
source of biomass in Jordan. In terms of quantity per capita and
constituents, the waste generated in Jordan is comparable to most
semi-industrialized nations. The per capita of waste generated in Jordan
is about 0.9 kg/day. The total generation of municipal waste in Jordan
is estimated at 1.84 million tons per year. The main resources of organic waste in Jordan that can be potentially used to produce biogas are summarized as follows:
- Municipal waste from big cities
- Organic wastes from slaughterhouse, vegetable market, hotels and restaurants.
- Organic waste from agro-industries
- Animal manure, mainly from cows and chickens.
- Sewage sludge and septic.
- Olive mills.
- Organic industrial waste
According to a study conducted by the
Greater Amman Municipality, around 1.5 million tonnes of organic waste
was generated in Jordan in 2009. In addition, an annual amount of 1.83
million cubic meter of septic and sewage sludge from treatment of 44
million cubic meter of sewage water is generated in greater Amman area.
The potential annual sewage sludge and septic generated in Amman can be
estimated at 85,000 tons of dry matter.
The Government of Jordan, in
collaboration with UNDP, GEF and the Danish Government, established 1MW
Biomethanation plant at Rusaifeh landfill near Amman in 1999. The Plant
has been successfully operating since its commissioning and efforts are
underway to increase its capacity to 5MW. Infact, the project has
achieved net yearly profit from electricity sale of about US $ 100, 000.
The project consists of a system of twelve landfill gas wells and an
anaerobic digestion plant based on 60 tons per day of organic wastes
from hotels, restaurants and slaughterhouses in Amman. The successful
installation of the biogas project has made it a role model in the
entire region and several big cities are striving to replicate the
model.
