by Jean El Achkar
I Went Looking for Oil, I Found Something Else
When I first began researching bioenergy in Kuwait, I did not expect to uncover a potential deeper than the oil wells that have long defined Kuwait’s prosperity. In a land rich in fossil energy, another well runs quietly beneath the surface. It is not drilled but formed from what is discarded each day. Food scraps, agricultural byproducts, and industrial residues accumulate in vast quantities across the country. Often dismissed as waste, these materials carry extraordinary promise. With the right vision, they can be transformed into clean energy, known as bioenergy, and healthier soils, promoting genuine progress toward a more sustainable future.
With around 1,053,000 tonnes of food waste discarded annually, Kuwait ranks among the highest food wasters globally. This is not just a waste problem. It is a missed opportunity buried in landfills that are rapidly nearing capacity. These sites are not silent. They are powerful methane emitters, accelerating a climate crisis that is no longer on the horizon. It is already unfolding, and it demands bold and strategic action.
Kuwait is among the world’s most oil-dependent economies. Around 99% of its energy consumption still comes from fossil fuels. With CO₂ emissions among the highest globally (22.051 tCO2 / Capita) and a growing demand for energy (especially for air conditioning in scorching summers), Kuwait’s sustainability dilemma is stark: how do you move forward when you’re locked into the past?
The government has set ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming for 15% by 2030 and 50% by 2050. Yet, bioenergy remains entirely absent from Kuwait’s energy strategy. In 2022, renewable electricity accounted for only 0.2% of total generation. According to the International Energy Agency, biofuels and waste contributed precisely zero. Globally, however, bioenergy is a significant component of the renewable energy mix. Its absence from Kuwait’s strategy is striking.
Buried Waste, Forgotten Power
A recent waste characterisation study revealed that nearly half of Kuwait’s municipal solid waste, 45.3%, is composed of organic materials. In addition to household food waste, the country generates massive volumes of agricultural residues, livestock manure, and petroleum sludge. The latter is a solid or semi-solid byproduct produced during the extraction and refining of crude oil. These materials are far more than refuse. They are rich in energy and nutrients and are well suited for conversion to bioenergy through anaerobic digestion. This process uses naturally occurring bacteria to break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing methane-rich biogas and nutrient-rich biofertilisers. These bacteria can be sourced directly from cow manure, which is already widely available in Kuwait. The potential is clear, yet the opportunity remains overlooked.
At present, these valuable resources are either buried, burned, or, at best, left unutilised. This is not only an environmental challenge. It is a missed energy opportunity, a growing pressure on food systems, and an added burden on already scarce water resources. At its core, it reflects a deeper challenge to Kuwait’s path toward sustainability.
From Waste to Watts
In Kuwait, where peak summer demand puts heavy pressure on the electricity grid and power cuts are no longer rare, even modest energy recovery from waste can deliver meaningful relief. The average Kuwaiti household consumes about 40,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, one of the highest residential electricity consumption rates globally, driven by the country’s extreme climate and high cooling demand.
Based on available energy simulation data, an illustrative scenario considering the treatment of only 700,000 tons of organic waste per year, including food waste, petroleum sludge, agricultural residues, and cow manure through anaerobic digestion, could generate at least 144 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable electricity, assuming a 30% conversion efficiency.
To put this into perspective, national electricity consumption data indicate that villas in Mubarak Al Kabeer governorateconsume an average of 37,956 kWh annually. At this rate, the bioenergy output of 144 GWh could fully power approximately 3,793 villas, meeting the needs of nearly 1 in 5 homes in the area.
Beyond households, this renewable electricity could serve as a critical buffer for essential services, including desalination plants, hospitals, schools, and emergency facilities, thereby strengthening Kuwait’s grid resilience at a time when energy security is more important than ever.
Technology Is Ready, Are We?
Despite the abundance of organic waste and the technical readiness of bioenergy solutions, Kuwait’s national energy and waste strategies still sideline this opportunity. There is no dedicated framework, no regulatory clarity for bioenergy infrastructure, and limited incentives to attract investment or innovation. The challenge is systemic: fragmented institutions, siloed mandates, and a lack of coordinated leadership.
A societal disconnect mirrors this policy vacuum in Kuwait. Public awareness of waste-to-energy remains low, and waste management is often seen as a logistical issue rather than a resource opportunity. Yet the solution is within reach. Kuwait can move forward by enabling cross-ministerial coordination, piloting local-scale projects, and investing in education and engagement from municipalities to farms and research centres.
What is needed is not invention but the activation of existing data, proven technologies, and latent institutional capacity. Bioenergy should no longer be treated as peripheral. It must be embedded into Kuwait’s broader sustainability strategy, linking energy resilience, food security, and climate adaptation.
Climate change is not a distant scenario; it is already affecting Kuwait through rising temperatures, growing electricity loads, and intensifying pressure on water and food systems. Waste-to-energy solutions, such as anaerobic digestion, gasification, and pyrolysis, are not aspirational technologies; they are available, scalable, and aligned with the country’s goals.
The Future of Energy Isn’t Black, It’s Green
Investing in the valorisation of organic waste will not only reduce emissions and produce green energy but also help mitigate climate change. It will also support local agriculture, reduce dependence on chemical inputs, and create green economic opportunities. This is more than a sustainability issue. It is a strategic development priority.
Kuwait has what it takes: the resources, the infrastructure, and the brainpower. What it needs now is coordination, commitment, and the courage to move forward.
Finally, when waste becomes energy and science shapes policy, the future is no longer a vision of sustainability. It will be sovereign, secure, and definitively Green.
[To read more on this and everything Middle East, the LSE Middle East Centre Library is now open for browsing and borrowing for LSE students and staff. For more information, please visit the MEC Library page.]
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