Closed Cycle of Biodegradable Wastes in Smart Cities

Abstract

The key issue of modern cities is their energy independence, which is still insufficient for most cities in the world. Outages in the supply of energy raw materials can endanger the basic functioning of cities, especially with regard to the heat supply of cities in the colder parts of our earth. This threat is exacerbated as far as the energy source is located further away from the city. It also increases transportation costs, which also increases the already high carbon footprint of the city. The solution to this problem is to find local sources of raw materials, which is the focus of this article. The most important of the energy raw materials in cities are municipal wastes. In addition, their biodegradable component, which makes up the majority, is a clean renewable resource. By incinerating this biodegradable municipal waste, we are able to reduce the cost of transporting and landfilling waste from cities and, on the other hand, obtain a source of clean and environmentally friendly alternative fuel. In this way, we create an alternative to the currently used fossil fuel coal, which often has to be imported to cities from great distances. Our article examines the benefits of using the basic components of this biodegradable waste generated in city parks, gardens or in the surrounding fields, and forests near cities. By burning these raw materials, we are able to create a closed cycle of these raw materials and ensure a balanced use of resources on our planet.