Khaled Al Huraimel Speaks Ahead of World Waste to Energy and Resources Summit : Waste to Energy Q&A with United Arab Emirates’ Bee’ah CEO
Ahead of the World Waste to Energy and Resources Summit, the event organisers have published an interview with Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of the UAE’s waste & recycling firm, Bee’ah, about key developments in waste to energy within the Gulf region and the impact of emerging technologies.
Q: What key developments have you seen emerge in the waste-to-energy industry in the UAE over the last 12 months?
A: Since the inception of our waste to energy project, many regulations and waste management policies in the UAE have become more mature and refined. The introduction of a new regulatory framework for landfill taxation, which is under discussion within the government, will sustain the waste to energy industry through a good revenue stream (gate fees).
This project is also demonstrating the growing confidence of the financial sector in clean technology and waste to energy, since it was financed through a deal that was the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. A consortium of five banks provided the financing on a non-recourse basis through this deal, showing increasing private sector participation in the Nation’s sustainability drive.
Q: How far has technology come in driving forward efficiencies?
A: Mass burn incineration technology is the most thoroughly demonstrated technology in the waste-to-energy field today, with more than 1,500 plants in operation worldwide.
Mass-burning incinerators have been deployed in Europe and Japan for municipal solid waste disposal for nearly 30 years, where their acceptance has been rapid and widespread.
New advanced thermal treatment technologies such as gasification and pyrolysis are advancing at a rapid pace. These new technologies will definitely help in enhancing the environmental performance of the process, and in achieving the Circular Economy targets.
Read the full interview HERE