Waste-to-Energy Project in Borj Chekir Site for Greater Tunis Region

Technology Types

Waste Types

Main Outputs

Scale/Capacity

3600 t/day of waste processed ; 2.9 GWh of electricity per day.

Private Sector Partnership

Involvement through a public-private partnership: PPP ; BOOT type, the investment and operating costs are covered by the private investor/operator. The latter's revenues come from energy sales and access fees as function of tons of waste received. This model avoids a large investment for the state and secures the investor's returns. The long-term PPP contract offers visibility and security regarding revenue: the tipping fees are guaranteed by the public entity. The legal framework for PPPs is established in Tunisia (Law No. 2015-49), managed by the General Authority for Public-Private Partnerships (IGPPP), which provides a structured and predictable regulatory environment for international investors. Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with STEG also provide a stable source of revenue. The proposed model is a benchmark financial and contractual structure for a large WTE project involving an international private investor within a public-private partnership framework

Policy Alignment

Decree No. 2009-2773 of September 28, 2009, establishing the conditions for the transmission of electricity produced from renewable energy sources and the sale of its surplus to the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company (STEG). - Decision of the Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines of June 2, 2014, setting the transmission and purchase tariffs by STEG (Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company) for surplus electricity produced from cogeneration and renewable energy facilities. - Law No. 2015-12 of May 11, 2015, relating to electricity production from renewable energy sources.

Electricity Regulation

Government Decree No. 2016-1123 of August 24, 2016, establishing the conditions and procedures for implementing projects for the production and sale of electricity from renewable energy sources

Government Engagement

Ministry of Environment Ministry of Energy/Energy Transition Ministry of Finance

Regional Partnerships

Greater Tunis Municipality

Land Allocation

TBD

Offtake Agreements

TBD

MSW Collection Systems

Current MSW Collection and Transport Systems in Greater Tunis, primarily rely on a hybrid model with primary and secondary Collection: Households are often responsible for placing their waste in plastic bags at specific collection points (sidewalks, street containers). A door-to-door system is becoming more common in certain areas of Tunis city, but collection via containers remains widespread. Waste management falls under the responsibility of the municipalities (communes) according to law, and, they are increasingly subcontracting collection and transport services to private companies.

MRF/MBT Integration

Waste is actually collected locally by small or medium-sized trucks, then transferred to transfer stations where it is compacted and loaded into larger vehicles for transport to the final treatment sites as Borj Chekir landfill. The adoption of a more centralized waste incineration project for Greater Tunis, covering a wider radius, will necessarily change and optimize logistics for transport and collection. Material Recovery Facilities are essential to extract high-value recyclables before incineration. Alternatively, the project might integrate a Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) phase immediately before the incinerator, ensuring only non-recyclable, high-calorific fraction is burned, optimizing efficiency and respecting waste hierarchy principles.

MSW Volumes

A quantity of 3618 tons of household waste can be collected 60 km maximum around and directed to the site of Borj Chekir daily to be processed according to this project, corresponding to more than 1.3 million ton/year. Waste in Tunisia is rich in organic matter around 60 % and rich in moisture around 30 %. The average composition of household and similar waste: Organic matter 63.2%, Plastic 9.4%, Textile 8.7%, Paper 8.6%, Miscellaneous 7.4%, Metals 1.6% and Glass 1.1%.

Auxiliary Facilities

Two flares and a technical facility for biogas monitoring and control are located on the landfill site. There is an operational zone comprising the retention ponds.

Operational Requirements

The Borj Chekir controlled landfill is supplied with water from SONEDE (the national clean water provider) and electricity from STEG (the national electricity provider).

GHG Mitigation

It aims to divert up to 1.3 million tonnes of waste annually from landfills.

SDG Alignment

It seeks to support Tunisia's national targets for renewable energy (35% by 2030) and greenhouse gas reduction (45% carbon intensity reduction by 2030), while creating skilled jobs and improving living conditions in communities affected by landfill operations. 

Community Engagement

The project will improve living conditions in communities affected by landfill operations. The detailed impact of this dimension will be explored further on application of the SDG Assessment Tool.

Job Creation

The project will create skill jobs. The detailed impact of this dimension will be explored further on application of the SDG Assessment Tool.

Informal Operators

To be developed in discussion with donors

Technology Transfer

To be developed in discussion with donors

Preparation Costs

To be defined during feasibility stage.

Total CAPEX

Detailed CAPEX/OPEX to be defined during feasibility stage; indicative figures consistent with Tunisian LFG/RDF benchmarks.

Annual OPEX

Detailed CAPEX/OPEX to be defined during feasibility stage; indicative figures consistent with Tunisian LFG/RDF benchmarks.

Investment Committed

To be developed in discussions with the donor

Funding Gap

To be defined during feasibility

Revenue Sources

The price of transporting the waste to the landfill is estimated at USD 23 to 27 equivalent. Some publications consider that the state is paying about 53 to 71 USD per tonne to landfill the waste and to transport it. The sale price of electricity from landfill biogas to STEG is equivalent to 0.105 USD/kWh excluding taxes.

Cost per Unit Output

To be defined during feasibility

Financing Breakdown

To be defined during feasibility