Modeling Energy Recovery Potential from Municipal Solid Waste: An Ergonomic Community-Based Approach for Sustainable Energy Systems

Authors

  • Heri Setiawan Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Tri Budiyanto Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, 55191, Indonesia
  • Micheline Rinamurti Management Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Deddy Permana Komunitas Hutan Kita Institute (HaKI), South Sumatera, 30153, Indonesia
  • Bonifasius Ferdinandus Bangun Komunitas Hutan Kita Institute (HaKI), South Sumatera, 30153, Indonesia
  • Dominikus Budiarto Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Yohanes Dicka Pratama Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Achmad Alfian Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Theresia Sunarni Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia
  • Evelyn Agustin Industrial Engineering Study Program, Universitas Katolik Musi Charitas, South Sumatera 30113, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12928/si.v24i2.639

Keywords:

Ergonomic community-based approach, Municipal solid waste, MATLAB modeling, Sustainable energy systems, Waste-to-energy (WtE)

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in developing cities is often assessed using waste-to-energy (WtE) models that emphasize technical parameters while overlooking segregation quality, ergonomic performance, and community participation. This study develops and validates a MATLAB-based framework that integrates these human-centered operational factors with waste composition and technology-specific conversion efficiencies. Palembang, Indonesia, was used as a case study because organic waste accounts for 63.45% of its MSW. The model combined waste characterization, proximate and ultimate analyses, and three conversion pathways: anaerobic digestion, incineration, and gasification. Energy recovery was evaluated under varying segregation, ergonomic, and participation scenarios, followed by sensitivity analysis and comparison with selected ASEAN city data. Under current collection conditions of 950-1.200 t/day, the hybrid system was estimated to produce approximately 358 GWh/year. Anaerobic digestion provided the most sustainable long-term contribution, while incineration and gasification supplied complementary recovery from high calorific fractions. Waste composition, segregation efficiency, and operational performance were the dominant determinants of energy output. The proposed framework improves the realism of conventional WtE assessments by quantitatively linking technical performance with ergonomic and community factors. The findings support source segregation, ergonomic waste handling systems, and decentralized anaerobic digestion as priority strategies for sustainable urban energy planning. The framework therefore offers a practical decision support tool for aligning waste management, renewable energy generation, and emission reduction.

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Published

2026-10-28

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 2 (2026): Spektrum Industri - October 2026

Section

Ergonomics and Work System Design

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Copyright (c) 2026 Heri Setiawan, Theresia Sunarni, Achmad Alfian, Yohanes Dicka Pratama, Dominikus Budiarto, Bonifasius Ferdinandus Bangun, Deddy Permana, Micheline Rinamurti, Tri Budiyanto, Evelyn Agustin

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How to Cite

Modeling Energy Recovery Potential from Municipal Solid Waste: An Ergonomic Community-Based Approach for Sustainable Energy Systems. (2026). Spektrum Industri, 24(2), 289-309. https://doi.org/10.12928/si.v24i2.639