By: Utilities Middle east

Dubai is set to launch the second phase of expansion at its Warsan waste-to-energy facility later this year, as the emirate accelerates efforts to reduce landfill dependency and boost sustainable power generation.

The expansion will further enhance the performance of the 2 million tonnes-per-year Warsan Waste-to-Energy Centre, which was procured by Dubai Municipality under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The announcement followed the 92nd meeting of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Since commencing operations, the facility has processed more than 4.5 million tonnes of waste, diverting 62% away from landfill—marking significant progress towards Dubai’s goal of eliminating landfill use by 2041.

The first phase of the AED4 billion ($1.2 billion) project was inaugurated in July 2023 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The plant, operated by Warsan Waste Management Company (WWMC), reached full commercial operations in September 2024.

According to Zawya Projects, the facility is capable of processing up to 6,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day—around half of Dubai’s daily waste output of approximately 13,000 tonnes. It generates up to 220 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity, enough to power roughly 135,000 homes.

Beyond energy generation, the project supports Dubai’s circular economy ambitions by converting residual ash into cement kiln feedstock, reducing raw material consumption, and recovering metals from waste streams for recycling.

The development forms part of a broader waste management strategy that has already seen landfill sites in Warsan, Jebel Ali, and Hatta shut down, with remaining sites at Al Qusais and Al Bayadiyah expected to close by 2027. Authorities anticipate that landfill dependency will end entirely once additional waste-to-energy plants and recycling infrastructure come online.

The Warsan facility was developed by a consortium including BESIX, Hitachi Zosen Inova and ITOCHU, alongside local partners Dubai Holding, DUBAL Holding and Tech Group.

The project operates under a 35-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement between Dubai Municipality and WWMC, reinforcing the emirate’s continued reliance on PPP frameworks to deliver critical infrastructure.