Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis and Optimization Approaches in Sustainable Waste-to-Energy Planning: A Systematic Review

• Sirajo ALHASSAN

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

  Author

• Abdullahi A. ADAMU

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

  Author

• Mohammed T. JIMOH

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

  Author

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) systems are increasingly recognized as a strategic solution for sustainable municipal solid waste management, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions confronted with landfill scarcity, environmental pressures, and rising energy demand. However, the selection and design of appropriate WtE systems require simultaneous consideration of economic viability, environmental performance, technical feasibility, and socio-institutional acceptance. This study presents a systematic review and critical synthesis of methodological approaches applied in WtE planning, with particular emphasis on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), mathematical optimization models, multi-objective programming, metaheuristic algorithms, and hybrid MCDA–optimization frameworks. The review examines the evolution, applications, strengths, and limitations of these approaches in supporting technology selection, facility siting, system configuration, and resource allocation decisions. Findings indicate that MCDA techniques are effective in incorporating stakeholder preferences and qualitative sustainability criteria, but lack detailed engineering-level system design capability. In contrast, optimization models provide rigorous quantitative frameworks for operational feasibility and infrastructure configuration, yet often underrepresent social, institutional, and governance constraints. Hybrid frameworks emerge as the most comprehensive methodological direction, integrating preference-based evaluation with constraint-based system modeling to enhance both strategic alignment and technical robustness. The study identifies critical research gaps, including insufficient treatment of uncertainty, limited empirical validation, and inadequate contextual adaptation to developing urban environments characterized by data constraints and institutional fragmentation. By synthesizing methodological trends and challenges, this review advances structured, context-sensitive decision-support systems for sustainable and implementable WtE planning.

• FJET_21_10_10

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