Assessment of a Hybrid Waste-Fueled District Heating System for an Urban Area in Kerman, Iran: Technical Evaluation and Economic and Environmental Considerations

Sammanfattning

This thesis presents a technical, economic and environmental assessment of a hybrid waste-to-energy (WtE) district heating (DH) system designed for the Afzalipour residential complex in Kerman, Iran. Given the region’s high dependence on natural gas (NG), increasing energy demand and growing waste generation, this study investigates the feasibility of integrating WtE technologies, biomass combustion, heat pumps and thermal storage into an integrated DH system. The research methodology includes heating demand calculation, waste composition analysis, and economic modelling evaluation. The results show that the hybrid system can significantly reduce NG consumption, which leads to lower operating costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. First estimates indicate that up to 45–50% of the heating demand can be met from non-fossil sources, while the levelized cost of heat (LCOH) remains competitive with NG-based heating systems. The findings show how feasibility of combining local waste streams and renewable resources despite infrastructure and policy constraints. This study contributes to sustainable urban energy planning in Iran and provides an expandable model for cities facing similar energy, waste, and environmental challenges.