Waste bunker size optimization under uncertainty: Application of inventory models with real data simulation

Abstract

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies play a prominent role in recovering energy from waste. One of the aspects ensuring the operability and economic sustainability of WtE plants is the size optimization of a waste bunker assigned to each WtE plant, whose main target is to ensure waste homogeneity for effective operation. Each WtE plant faces various uncertain challenges, such as planned and unplanned shutdowns during which the plant is inactive and not ideally coordinated with waste collection companies, further importing the collected waste into the waste bunker, mainly due to existing contracts. This work aims to develop a scenario-based model to support strategic capacity planning by capturing various uncertain attributes and optimizing the waste bunker size while minimizing the total costs composing the investment, inventory, and waste shortage costs. The model is tested on a case study from the Czech Republic. The main result can be summarized such that for a specific case of a newly situated WtE facility with a considered capacity of 100kt/y, the model suggests a bunker of size ca. 4,200m3 for a middle scenario. However, this is strongly related to other attributes of a particular WtE project (e.g., waste properties or cost parameters).