Techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis of restaurant food waste-to-electricity conversion in Malaysia and Singapore within a circular bioeconomy framework

Waste-to-energy technologies provide a sustainable solution to managing the increasing volume of restaurant food waste in Malaysia and Singapore while addressing environmental and economic challenges. This study conducted a comparative assessment of three Waste-to-energy technologies—anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, and gasification—to evaluate their feasibility in converting food waste into renewable energy. The study also examined how policy and regulatory frameworks in Malaysia and Singapore influence the adoption of WtE solutions, offering actionable insights for the food industry and policymakers. The findings indicated that anaerobic digestion was the most promising technology, capable of reducing waste volume by 60 % and generating up to 5 MW of renewable energy per year of food waste processed. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) showed that anaerobic digestion was financially viable, providing a return on investment (ROI) of 12–15 % and a payback period of 5–7 years for medium-scale installations. The environmental impact assessment through life cycle analysis (LCA) revealed that anaerobic digestion reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 0.8 kg CO2eq per kg of food waste compared to landfilling. With appropriate policies, technological advancements, and community engagement, Malaysia could generate an additional 75 MW of renewable energy from food waste, sufficient to power over 30,000 homes annually. These findings contribute to the transition toward a circular bioeconomy, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and promoting a low-carbon, resource-efficient future for Malaysia and Singapore.