The Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility has processed 1,000,000 tons of waste since inauguration, marking a major operational milestone in Sharjah’s zero–waste to landfill journey while contributing to the UAE’s progressive energy strategy towards net-zero emissions. As the plant advances into its highly anticipated Phase 2 expansion, it continues to generate 30 MW of low-carbon electricity for the Sharjah public grid while offsetting 450,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually through landfill diversion. Established in 2022 as a flagship project of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, a joint venture between BEEAH and Tadweer Group, the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is the region’s first commercial-scale facility of its kind. As part of Sharjah’s broader circular ecosystem, it has played a transformative role in achieving the emirate’s 93% landfill diversion rate, complementing the integrated recycling operations at BEEAH’s state-of-the-art facilities within the Waste Management Complex in Al Saja’a.
From processing 100,000 tons of waste in its inaugural year to achieving its latest milestone, the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant has diverted enough waste from landfill equivalent to the combined weight of two Burj Khalifas. Upon Phase 2 completion, the Sharjah Waste to Energy project will double its positive impact through a second, duplicate plant adjoining the existing facility. The expanded plant will deliver significant increases:
- Power output: from 30 MW to 60 MW
- Annual waste processing: from 300,000 tons to 600,000 tons
- CO₂ displacement: from 450,000 tons to nearly 1 million tons
- Homes powered: from 28,000 to approximately 60,000 households
This enhanced capacity will be supported by continued collaboration with the Sharjah Electricity, Water, and Gas Authority (SEWA) to enable efficient integration into the public grid and further contribute to the UAE’s rapidly expanding clean energy portfolio.
Waste-to-energy is one of the major alternative pathways in the UAE’s energy diversification strategy, which has proactively laid the foundation since 2017 for tripling the share of national renewable energy. Clean energy produced from waste sustainably meets growing power demand while advancing the country’s ambitions for reaching net zero by 2050. The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is a key contributor to this strategy, alongside landmark renewable and nuclear energy projects such as the Dubai Waste-to-Energy Plant, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and the Barakah Nuclear Energy plant.
Commenting on the milestone, Hamza Al Jefri, CEO of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, said:“Reaching the 1,000,000-ton milestone demonstrates the feasibility of our waste-to-energy model in addressing landfill dependency and clean energy needs. With Phase 2, we are focused on scaling our impact even further, expanding clean output while continuing to provide an effective solution for hard-to-recycle waste. The Emirates Waste to Energy Company remains committed to supporting national and local sustainability goals through energy innovation and operational excellence.”
By transforming residual waste into clean energy, the facility directly tackles the UAE’s high per capita municipal solid waste generation, a rising cost the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is working to eliminate through initiatives that promote waste as an economic resource.
Fahad Shehail, CEO of Environment at BEEAH, added:“Through the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant, BEEAH continues to deliver innovative solutions that are enabling near-total landfill diversion in Sharjah. The latest achievement is a testament to the vision of our leadership and the strength of our partnerships. Phase 2 will significantly expand our positive impact, supporting the UAE’s transition to a cleaner, more circular economy and creating long-term environmental value for the region’s future-ready cities.”
The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant is located adjacent to BEEAH’s Waste Management Complex, which houses 12 integrated waste processing facilities, including one of the world’s largest Material Recovery Facilities. Collectively, the facilities process different types of municipal and commercial waste to recover recyclables for reintroduction into the circular economy and produce alternative materials and fuels. The residual, hard-to-recycle waste is sent to the Sharjah Waste to Energy plant, where it is thermally treated. The resultant heat is applied toa boiler, producing high-pressure steam to run aturbine generator. The plant produces low-carbon electricity, while treating flue gas and bottom ash, in line with best available European Union techniques. The residual heat is recovered, and the steam is condensed to be recycled, forming a closed-loop, efficient waste-to-energy process.
In 2025, Tadweer Group acquired Masdar’s stake in the Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility, becoming a joint venture partner to BEEAH. Building on the successes of the Sharjah plant and its subsequent expansion, the Emirates Waste to Energy Company aims to develop more clean energy projects across the UAE and the wider region to advance a sustainable, low-carbon future.