Abstract

The global rise in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and the urgent need to decarbonize the transportation sector, particularly the aviation fuels and heavy trucks, have created a compelling
opportunity for circular carbon technologies. This thesis presents the development and analysis of a waste-to-jet fuel production pathway that integrates MSW gasification, syngas conditioning,
reverse water gas shift (RWGS) conversion, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, and hydrocracking. The process design and simulation are performed using Aspen Plus, with a particular emphasis product selectivity and CO₂ utilization.
Using the simulation results, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis (TEA) is carried out to estimate capital and operating expenditures, minimum selling prices, and project viability under
Quebec’s low-carbon electricity conditions. Additionally, a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted in OpenLCA to evaluate the environmental footprint of the proposed system compared to conventional pathway of jet fuel production and waste incineration. The LCA results, based on ReCiPe methodology, indicate that the MSW-to-jet fuel pathway can achieve net negative greenhouse gas emissions under low-carbon electricity scenarios.
The findings highlight the dual benefit of MSW valorization: reducing landfill dependency and enabling the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with a significantly lower carbon
intensity. This research demonstrates that MSW can serve as a viable feedstock for decarbonized fuel production, offering a scalable and economically competitive solution aligned with global
climate and waste management goals.