Sharjah’s waste-to-energy plant hits 1M Tonnes, to doubling capacity to 60MW in phase 2

UAE – The Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility has processed 1,000,000 tonnes of waste since its 2022 inauguration, marking a major milestone in the emirate’s zero-waste-to-landfill journey while generating 30MW of low-carbon electricity for the public grid and offsetting 450,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

The plant, a joint venture between BEEAH and Tadweer Group, is the region’s first commercial-scale waste-to-energy facility.

It has helped Sharjah achieve a 93 percent landfill diversion rate, one of the highest globally.

From 100,000 Tonnes to One Million

From processing 100,000 tonnes in its inaugural year to reaching its latest milestone, the facility has diverted waste equivalent to the combined weight of two Burj Khalifas.

Located adjacent to BEEAH’s Waste Management Complex, which houses 12 integrated processing facilities, the plant thermally treats residual hard-to-recycle waste.

The resultant heat produces high-pressure steam to run a turbine generator, creating a closed-loop efficient process.

Phase 2: Doubling Impact

Upon completion, power generation will rise from 30MW to 60MW, annual waste processing will double from 300,000 to 600,000 tonnes, CO₂ displacement will grow from 450,000 to nearly 1 million tonnes annually, and homes powered will increase from 28,000 to approximately 60,000 households.

Hamza Al Jefri, CEO of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, explained that reaching the 1,000,000-ton milestone demonstrates the feasibility of the waste-to-energy model in addressing both landfill dependency and clean energy needs.

He noted that Phase 2 will scale the company’s impact while providing a solution for hard-to-recycle waste.

Aligning with UAE’s Net Zero Ambitions

Waste-to-energy is a major pathway in the UAE’s energy diversification strategy, which since 2017 has aimed to triple the share of national renewable energy.

Clean energy from waste meets growing power demand while advancing the country’s net-zero by 2050 ambition.

The Sharjah plant joins landmark projects including the Dubai Waste-to-Energy Plant and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Fahad Shehail, CEO of Environment at BEEAH, stated that Phase 2 will significantly expand the facility’s positive impact, supporting the UAE’s transition to a cleaner, more circular economy.

When Waste Becomes a Resource

One million tonnes of waste could have filled landfills, leaked methane, and burdened future generations.

Instead, it became electricity for 28,000 homes and prevented 450,000 tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere. Phase 2 promises to double that equation.

In Sharjah, the line between waste management and energy generation has not just blurred, it has disappeared entirely.

Subscribe to our email newsletters that provide busy executives like you with the latest news insights and trends from Africa and the World. SUBSCRIBE HERE