Urban Environmental Benefits of Green Energy: A Review of Landfill Gas-to-Electricity Technologies in eThekwini, South Africa

Abstract

In the quest to ameliorate the negative developments emanating from a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, there has been a surge in the development, adoption and utilisation of renewable energy technologies all over the world. While adopting a case study and phenomenological research design and applying qualitative approaches, this study focuses on the environmental benefits emanating directly from the development, adoption and application of innovative technologies in renewable energy generation and supply. In particular, it assesses the experiences of municipal solid waste-to energy technologies in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. The results reveal that the innovative projects have resulted, not only in improved municipal solid waste management, but, more importantly, in improved urban environmental conservation. The paper concludes by recommending the scaling up of such innovative projects in South Africa and the adoption and application of these best practices in other African countries.