Schneider Electric to support Sharjah’s first waste-to-energy joint venture by Masdar and Bee’ah
Schneider Electric has been awarded the contract to supply a range of electrical solutions to the Sharjah Waste to Energy (WTE) facility, the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates. The WTE plant is owned by Emirates Waste to Energy Company, a joint venture between Bee’ah and Masdar. French industrial company, CNIM, is contracted to build and operate the facility, located within Bee’ah’s Waste Management Center in Sharjah, UAE.
The Sharjah WTE facility will process 37.5 tons of non-recyclable solid municipal waste per hour, diverting over 300,000 tons from landfill each year in support of the UAE’s waste management goals. The facility will generate up to 30 megawatts of electricity, which will be supplied directly to the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority’s (SEWA) grid, and will power around 28,000 homes.
The plant will be compliant with global standards of environmental safety and sustainability. It will also displace almost 450,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year and save the UAE 45 million cubic meters of natural gas per year.
Schneider will supply and install the facility’s medium-voltage gas-insulated switchgear and EcoStruxure Power SCADA Operation software, which will provide real-time situational awareness of the plant’s electricity network and ensure the power systems are optimized and performing safely. The software will also protect the system through built-in cybersecurity features.
“The Sharjah WTE project is ground-breaking, and we’re delighted to be able to play our part in its development,” said Ahmed Khashan, Cluster President, Gulf Countries, Schneider Electric. “Our EcoStruxture technology will ensure the plant is working to its full potential, with a host of safety and cybersecurity features that will keep the plant’s staff and the electricity grid safe. Most importantly, the plant will be future-ready, with the option to add in sensors that’ll ensure the plant remains at the cutting-edge of the region’s energy generation sector for decades to come.”
The WTE process converts waste into heat, which is then recovered through a boiler to produce steam that drives a turbine generator to produce electricity. Bottom ash is discharged and deposited into storage, and converted into usable recycled materials, and the flue gas is treated through stringent air pollution controls. The remaining steam is pushed through an air-cooled condenser to transform it into water that is reused within the plant.
