Explainer: Waste-to-energy plant opens in UAE

Masdar's new facility in the Emirati city of Sharjah will burn garbage to produce electricity. Some observers believe the process is relatively harmful to the environment due to its carbon emissions, but others say it is a good way to reduce landfill waste.
Trucks drive in and out of the Bee'ah waste management company in the Gulf emirate of Sharjah.
Trucks drive in and out of the Bee'ah waste management company in the Gulf emirate of Sharjah, on Sept. 2, 2021. The UAE, one of the world's top oil exporters, is building the Gulf region's first waste-to-power plants to ease its chronic trash problem and, at the same time, its reliance on gas-fueled electricity stations. - GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
Adam Lucente headshot (new)
Adam Lucente
@Adam_Lucente

An Emirati company unveiled a power plant today that will convert garbage into electricity. 

Masdar said the waste-to-energy facility in the city of Sharjah is the first of its kind in the Middle East. The project will contribute to the United Arab Emirates’ Net Zero 2050 carbon emissions initiative, according to a press release. 

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.

Videos

See more