Waste Food to Energy: Sustainable Bioenergy Conversion

Abstract

Food waste represents a significant fraction of global municipal solid waste and constitutes a critical environmental and economic challenge. With rising urbanization and food consumption patterns, the need for sustainable and circular solutions is paramount. This review comprehensively evaluates the potential of converting waste food into energy via various biochemical and thermochemical technologies, focusing on anaerobic digestion, gasification, pyrolysis, and direct combustion. Emphasis is placed on technological feasibility, energy efficiency, environmental impacts, and integration into existing energy frameworks. The paper also explores the barriers to commercialization, such as feedstock heterogeneity, pretreatment complexity, policy limitations, and public perception. A comparative analysis is presented to assess the scalability and techno-economic viability of different conversion methods. Ultimately, the review proposes an integrated system combining pre-sorting, microbial enhancement, and hybrid thermochemical-biochemical routes to maximize yield and minimize emissions. This work highlights the underutilized potential of food waste as a renewable energy source and outlines future research directions for optimizing waste-to-energy (WTE) solutions in alignment with global sustainability goals