Swedish experts visited the Ugandan capital Kampala in November 2021 to evaluate local conditions and support the ambition of NLS Waste Services Ltd to implement a full-scale waste-to-energy plant.
According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the total amount of municipal solid waste collected in Kampala has increased by 7 % annually since 2012. The primary disposal facility, Kiteezi landfill, has reached its maximum capacity and therefore the city is now looking for alternative solutions on how to transform the waste into value instead.
A series of virtual study visits between Smart City Sweden and stakeholders in Kampala such as NLS Waste Services, Kampala City Council Authority, and the National Environment Management Authority was organized to show examples of how waste is managed in Sweden. Swedish companies such as Againity and Inrego presented their solutions for waste incineration and recycled electronics respectively. The municipal waste company from West Sweden, Renova, also shared its experiences of operation and management of a waste-to-energy plant.
– It’s really exciting that we are able to contribute with our knowledge from West Sweden and inspire Uganda to take their first steps towards energy recovery from waste, says Malin Blom, Environmental Communicator at Renova.
These series of meetings have culminated into a pre-feasibility study for a waste-to-energy plant. Swedish experts from Hifab and IVL have been contracted by NLS Waste Services Ltd Kampala, Uganda to support and project manage the construction of the first large waste-to-energy plant in Uganda. They visited Kampala in November 2021 for a week of intensive field study and stakeholders’ meetings to understand the local conditions and evaluate possibilities for energy recovery from municipal solid waste.
– We want to dramatically decrease not only the large volumes of waste being dumped into landfills today but also the climate impact by transforming waste into energy, says Lydia Syson Nayiga, Business Development Manager at NLS Waste Services Ltd.
NLS Services Waste Services Ltd offer cleaning and waste management services that are customized according to the needs of clients in an economical way within the stipulated time to ensure continuity.
The developer is now in the process of applying for permission to carry out the Feasibility Study. The Plant will be designed in accordance with European quality and emission standards, incinerate 1,300 tonnes of waste on daily basis and produce thermal power of 115MW, out of which 35MW will be electricity sold to the national grid.
– The gains from this project are much larger than its alternative – to continue to dump waste at non-engineered landfills. The project is foreseen to reduce the climate impact, and also provide better working and living conditions in the area, among other positive benefits, says Kåre Sundin, Manager at Hifab Group International.
The project will invite investors downstream, so interested parties are encouraged to contact Aditi Bhasin, Head of Region East at Smart City Sweden: aditi.bhasin@ivl.se
Read more about our studies around the world here.
(See image above): From left to right: Richard de Wet Hifab, Lydia Nayiga NLS, Ronny Arnberg IVL and Joyeuse Uwitonze, also NLS.
