Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EcoMENA. He is a consultant, ecopreneur and journalist with expertise across in waste management, renewable energy, environment protection and sustainable development. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability across the globe Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org

Biomass Resources in Jordan

By | | ,
Leave a comment

With high population growth rate, increase in industrial and commercial activities, high cost of imported energy fuels and higher GHGs emissions, supply of cheap and clean energy resources has become a challenge for the Jordanian Government. Consequently, the need for implementing renewable energy projects, especially solar, wind, biomass and energy-from-waste, has emerged as a national priority in recent years. Jordan has substantial biomass resources in the form of municipal solid wastes, sewage, industrial wastes and animal manure. Municipal solid wastes represent the best source of biomass in Jordan. Solid waste generation in the country is approximately 2 million tons per … Continue reading →

Islam, Economics and a Blueprint for Sustainable Development

By | | , , ,
1 Comment

Islamic economic thought is heavily based on the concepts of fairness and justice. Trade is encouraged- but only within the guidelines of the Shariah (Islamic law). As a result, the Islamic economic system is largely value-driven and fits within the principles of sustainability. A key Islamic principle concerns how “everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by people in trust”. [1] This means that human beings have a God-given duty to care for the Earth. In turn, this links with the idea of Khilafa (stewardship).  The Holy Qur’an states, “Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea on … Continue reading →

4 Ways to Make Your Garage More Nature-friendly?

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Becoming environmentally aware and going green is important in your home, for the sake of your family, your community, and the planet as a whole. While doing so, however, it is easy to overlook the garage. The garage takes up a considerable space, and there are several ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce your environmental impact, even there. Below are some ways to make your garage eco-friendly. 1. Lighting You may think that a garage doesn’t need windows, but in reality, installing them can help make your garage eco-friendlier. Windows allow for natural sunlight to help you consume less … Continue reading →

7 Ways to Cut Energy Costs in Small Spaces

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

Global energy demand continues to rise and is expected to increase by 50% by 2050. This has raised concerns about environmental sustainability, and finding ways to cut energy costs has become a priority for many. Fortunately, there are several effective strategies that can be implemented to reduce energy consumption and lower energy bills in small spaces. By making changes to daily habits and adopting energy-saving technologies, you can achieve significant cost savings while contributing to a more sustainable future. From simple behavioral changes to the implementation of energy-efficient appliances like a single zone mini split system, our comprehensive guide can … Continue reading →

The Popular Methods for Aluminium Recycling

By | | ,
18 Comments

The demand for aluminium products is growing steadily because of their positive contribution to modern living. Aluminium is the second most widely used metal whereas the aluminum can is the most recycled consumer product in the world. Aluminium finds extensive use in air, road and sea transport, food and medicine, packaging, construction, electronics and electrical power transmission. The excellent recyclability of aluminium, together with its high scrap value and low energy needs during recycling make aluminium highly desirable to one and all. The global aluminium demand is forecasted to soar to nearly 70 million tons by 2020 from around 37 … Continue reading →

Renewable Energy Investment in Jordan

By | | , ,
1 Comment

Jordan has tremendous wind, solar and biomass energy potential which can only be realized by large-scale investments. In 2007, the Government of Jordan developed an integrated and comprehensive Energy Master Plan. Renewable energy accounted for only 1% of the energy consumption in Jordan in 2007. However, ambitious targets have been set in the Master Plan to raise the share to 7% in 2015 and 10% in 2020. This transition from conventional fuels to renewable energy resources will require capital investments, technology transfer and human resources development, through a package of investments estimated at US $ 1.4 – 2.2 billion. The … Continue reading →

Agricultural Biomass in MENA

By | | ,
4 Comments

Agriculture plays an important role in the economies of most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.  Despite the fact that MENA is the most water-scarce and dry region in the world, many countries in the region, especially those around the Mediterranean Sea, are highly dependent on agriculture. The contribution of the agricultural sector to the overall economy varies significantly among countries in the region, ranging, for example, from about 3.2 percent in Saudi Arabia to 13.4 percent in Egypt.  Large scale irrigation coupled with mechanization has enabled extensive production of high-value cash crops, including fruits, … Continue reading →

Animal Waste Management in Africa: Perspectives

By | | ,
7 Comments

Livestock and poultry production are among the main economic activities in rural as well as urban areas of African countries. The livestock sector, in particular sheep, goats and camels, plays an important role in the national economy of African countries. In addition, the region has witnessed very rapid growth in the poultry sector. The livestock industry and poultry industry, however, are contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and waste crisis in Africa due to the absence of a sustainable animal waste management system. Most of the manure is collected in lagoons or left to decompose in the open which presents … Continue reading →

Saudi Arabia Biorefinery from Algae (SABA) Project

By | | , ,
8 Comments

The King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology (KACST) is funding an innovative project called Saudi Arabia Biorefinery from Algae (SABA Project) to screen for lipid hyper-producers species in Saudi Arabia coastal waters. These species will be the basis for next-generation algal biofuel production. The goal of this project is to increase research and training in microalgae-based biofuel production as well algal biomass with an additional goal of using a biorefinery approach that could strongly enhance Saudi Arabia economy, society and environment within the next 10 years. The primary mission of the SABA project is to develop the Algae Based … Continue reading →

Fuel Pellets from Solid Wastes

By | | ,
3 Comments

Municipal solid waste is a poor-quality fuel and its pre-processing is necessary to convert it into fuel pellets to improve its consistency, storage properties, handling characteristics, combustion behaviour and calorific value. Technological improvements are taking place in the realms of advanced source separation of MSW, resource recovery and production of MSW fuel pellets in both existing and new plants for this purpose. There has been an increase in global interest in the preparation of MSW fuel pellets or Refuse Derived Fuel (or RDF) so let us take a close look at this interesting alternative fuel. Pelletization of Muncipal Solid Waste … Continue reading →

What are Biofuels

By | | ,
7 Comments

Biofuel refers to liquid or gaseous fuels that are predominantly produced from biomass. A variety of fuels can be produced from biomass resources including liquid fuels, such as ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and gaseous fuels, such as hydrogen and methane. Resource Base for Biofuels Production The biomass resource base for biofuels production is composed of a wide variety of forestry and agricultural resources, industrial processing residues, municipal solid wastes and urban wood residues. The agricultural resources include grains used for biofuels production, animal manures and residues, and crop residues derived primarily from corn and small grains (e.g., wheat straw). … Continue reading →

Recycling of PET Plastic Bottles

By | | ,
1 Comment

Like all other modern urban centers, the Middle East also faces challenges in environmental protection due to tremendous tonnage of plastic waste produced in different forms. The gross urban waste generation from Middle East countries exceeds 150 million tons per annum, out of which 10-15 percent is contributed by plastic wastes. The burgeoning population, growing consumption, and an increasing trend towards a “disposable” culture, is causing nightmares to municipal authorities across the region and beyond. Plastic consumption has grown at a tremendous rate over the past two decades as plastics now play an important role in all aspects of modern … Continue reading →