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Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management
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Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 2521

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alexandra V. Michailidou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: environmental management; environmental engineering; sustainability; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last decade, waste-to-energy has presented a rapid rise in the context of both energy crisis and climate change. WtE ensures safe and sustainable treatment of non-recyclable materials by producing renewable energy while reducing CO2 emissions and recovering valuable resources (metals and minerals). It is constantly evolving and receptive to novel technology/ interrelated with other economic sectors in a circular way. Thus, this Special Issue aims to present up-to-date research in the field of energy generation and resource recovery from various types of waste via WtE, as well as the current challenges and trends in WtE towards the circular economy.

The topics of interest for publication in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • WtE technological improvements and innovations for different types of waste for energy production and resource recovery.
  • Integration of WtE with the principles of the circular economy to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste generation.
  • WtE technology integrated with carbon capture.
  • Life-cycle assessment and social life-cycle assessment of WtE.
  • Environmental and economic sustainability assessments concerning the conversion of waste into bioenergy or materials.
  • Waste utilization for value-added products.
  • Market potential of medium-scale WtE plants.
  • Policy frameworks, economic viability, and social acceptance of WtE.
  • Modelling and optimization in bio-waste processing.

Dr. Alexandra V. Michailidou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • resource recovery
  • waste management
  • waste utilization
  • circularity

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3441 KB  
Article
Improved Biomethane Potential by Substrate Augmentation in Anaerobic Digestion and Biodigestate Utilization in Meeting Circular Bioeconomy
by Wame Bontsi, Nhlanhla Othusitse, Amare Gessesse and Lesedi Lebogang
Energies 2025, 18(24), 6505; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246505 - 12 Dec 2025
Viewed by 106
Abstract
Waste generated from agricultural activities is anticipated to increase in the future, especially in less developed countries, and this could cause environmental health risks if these wastes are not well managed. The anaerobic digestion (AD) by co-digesting organic waste is a technology used [...] Read more.
Waste generated from agricultural activities is anticipated to increase in the future, especially in less developed countries, and this could cause environmental health risks if these wastes are not well managed. The anaerobic digestion (AD) by co-digesting organic waste is a technology used to produce biogas while utilizing biodigestate as a biofertilizer; however, AD requires a lot of water to be efficient, which could pose water challenges to arid areas. This study evaluated biogas production under semi-dry conditions by augmenting the process with a high-water content wild melon and determined the nutrient composition of the resultant biodigestate. Batch studies of AD were performed to evaluate methane potential of the different animal waste using an online and standardized Automatic Methane Potential Test System (AMPTS) II light for approximately 506 h (21 days) at 38 °C. The highest biomethane potential (BMP) determined for mono and co-substrate digestion was 29.5 NmL CH4/g VS (CD) and 63.3 NmL CH4/g VS (CMWM), respectively, which was calculated from AMPTS biomethane yield of 3166.2 NmL (CD) and 1480.6 NmL (CMWM). Water-displacement method was also used to compare biogas yield in wet and semi-dry AD. The results showed high biogas yield of 8480 mL for CM (mono-substrate) and 10,975 mL for CMCC in wet AD. Semi-dry AD was investigated by replacing water with a wild melon (WM), and the highest biogas production was 8000 mL from the CMCC combination augmented with WM. Generally, in wet AD, co-digestion was more effective in biogas production than mono-substrate AD. The biodigestate from different substrate combinations were also evaluated for nutrient composition using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis, and all the samples contained fair amount of essential nutrients such as calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and microelements such as chloride (Cl), magnesium (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn). This study successfully implemented semi-dry AD from co-digested animal wastes to produce biogas as an energy solution and biofertilizer for crop production, thereby creating a closed-loop system that supports a circular bioeconomy. In addition, the study confirmed that lowering the water content in the AD process is feasible without compromising substantial biogas production. This technology, when optimized and well implemented, could provide sustainable biogas production in areas with water scarcity, therefore making the biogas production process accessible to rural communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management)
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27 pages, 3216 KB  
Article
Minimalist Deep Learning for Solar Power Forecasting: Transformer-Based Prediction Using Key Meteorological Features
by Duncan Kibet, Min Seop So and Jong-Ho Shin
Energies 2025, 18(24), 6395; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246395 - 7 Dec 2025
Viewed by 95
Abstract
Solar power forecasting is important for energy management and grid stability, yet many deep learning studies use a large set of meteorological and time-based variables because of the belief that more inputs improve model performance. In practice, a large feature set can introduce [...] Read more.
Solar power forecasting is important for energy management and grid stability, yet many deep learning studies use a large set of meteorological and time-based variables because of the belief that more inputs improve model performance. In practice, a large feature set can introduce redundancy, increase computational effort, and reduce clarity in model interpretation. This study examines whether dependable forecasting can be achieved using only the most influential variables, presenting a minimal feature deep learning approach for short term prediction of solar power. The objective is to evaluate a Transformer model that uses only two key variables, solar irradiance and soil temperature at a depth of ten centimetres. These variables were identified through feature importance analysis. A real world solar power dataset was used for model development, and performance was compared with RNN, GRU, LSTM, and Transformer models that use the full set of meteorological inputs. The minimal feature Transformer reached a Mean Absolute Error of 1.1325, which is very close to the result of the multivariate Transformer that uses all available inputs. This outcome shows that essential temporal patterns in solar power generation can be captured using only the strongest predictors, supporting the usefulness of reducing the size of the input space. The findings indicate that selective feature reduction can maintain strong predictive performance while lowering complexity, improving clarity, and reducing data requirements. Future work may explore the adaptability of this minimal feature strategy across different regions and environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management)
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26 pages, 1946 KB  
Article
Spatial Influence on Waste-to-Energy Sustainability: A Life Cycle Assessment of RDF Transport and Plant Siting
by Giannis Pachakis, Dimitris Malamis, Sofia Mai and Elli Maria Barampouti
Energies 2025, 18(23), 6238; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236238 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 288
Abstract
The spatial configuration of Waste-to-Energy infrastructure plays a decisive role in determining the environmental and economic performance of municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment methodology to evaluate the environmental implications of centralized and decentralized siting strategies [...] Read more.
The spatial configuration of Waste-to-Energy infrastructure plays a decisive role in determining the environmental and economic performance of municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment methodology to evaluate the environmental implications of centralized and decentralized siting strategies for Refuse-Derived Fuel utilization in Greece. Two alternative scenarios were modeled: (i) a centralized approach based on six large WtE plants as proposed by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy (gr. YPEN), and (ii) a decentralized approach involving smaller, regionally distributed units located closer to Recycling and Recovery Facilities. Using the SimaPro software and the ReCiPe method, environmental impacts were quantified across categories including global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, and particulate matter formation. The results indicate that the decentralized scenario yields substantial environmental advantages, with reductions ranging from 33% to 45% across all impact categories and displaying a 35% decrease in CO2-equivalent emissions compared to the centralized scenario. Economic analysis confirms these findings, showing a 31% reduction in total transport and emissions-related costs due primarily to minimized long-distance and maritime transport. The study concludes that decentralized RDF-to-energy systems offer a more balanced and sustainable pathway, enhancing operational flexibility, lowering environmental burdens, and improving social acceptance. These results underscore the importance of integrating spatial and logistical parameters in national WtE planning to align with EU waste hierarchy principles and circular economy objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management)
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16 pages, 1519 KB  
Article
Quantity and Material Composition of Foreign Bodies in Bio-Waste Collected in Towns from Single- and Multi-Family Housing and in Rural Areas
by Wojciech Dronia, Jacek Połomka and Andrzej Jędrczak
Energies 2024, 17(17), 4350; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17174350 - 30 Aug 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
There is a general consensus that bio-waste is a suitable material for valorization by means of the fermentation process with the production of biogas. The success of a bio-waste closed-loop economy will ultimately be determined by the demand for the products made from [...] Read more.
There is a general consensus that bio-waste is a suitable material for valorization by means of the fermentation process with the production of biogas. The success of a bio-waste closed-loop economy will ultimately be determined by the demand for the products made from it. Poor-quality composts and fermentation products will not be allowed on the market in the long term. This means that not only final products but also bio-waste from separate collections must also meet the quality requirements. The aim of this 12-month study was a monthly analysis determining the level of contaminants in bio-waste collected from rural communities, single-family neighborhoods in urban areas, and multi-family neighborhoods in urban areas. The share of contaminants in bio-waste from rural areas and single-family urban housing averaged 8.2% and 7.2%, respectively, while multi-family urban housing had a significantly higher average of 16.6%. The primary contaminants identified were treated wood, plastics, mineral wastes, paper, and glass in rural areas and plastics, paper, treated wood, glass, and textiles in urban areas. The close positive correlation found between the total content of pollutants and, in particular, with plastics and kitchen waste in bio-waste collected in rural communities and from multi-family housing in cities indicates that they are likely the main source of the origin of these pollutants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Energy and the Circular Economy: Towards Sustainable Resource Management)
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