Techno-Economic Assessment of Power Generation from Waste Plastic Via Integrated Methane Reforming and Chemical Looping Technologies

The widespread disposal of plastic waste in oceans and landfills presents severe environmental challenges, underscoring the need for sustainable utilization strategies. This study investigates power generation from polyethylene and polypropylene through four advanced gasification and reforming pathways. Case 1 integrates gasification with steam methane reforming (SMR) and cryogenic air separation (ASU), while Case 2 replaces ASU with chemical looping combustion (CLC). Case 3 employs gasification with partial oxidation (POX), and Case 4 combines gasification with POX and dry methane reforming (DMR). A comprehensive techno-economic assessment was conducted to evaluate the performance of these pathways. The results revealed significant differences in energy efficiency and economic feasibility across the cases. Case 3 emerged as the most economical configuration, achieving the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) at $94.6/MW, a net present value (NPV) of $5.10 million, and a breakeven point of 8.86 years. Case 4 was also financially promising, with an NPV of $4.27 million, while Case 1 was found economically unviable due to its high capital expenditure, resulting in a low NPV of $0.79 million and the highest LCOE of $211.34/MW. Case 2, which employed CLC, offered a favorable balance between utility demand and process efficiency. This study highlights the potential of integrating gasification with advanced reforming techniques, particularly POX and CLC, to achieve both environmental and economic benefits in waste-to-energy conversion.