In this article, energy recovery from municipal solid wastes is examined. The fuel characteristics of solid waste components as well as the landfill gas (LFG) yield are reviewed. The energy potential of solid wastes of Izmir (third biggest city of Turkey) is then estimated. The heating value is calculated at about 3,500-5,500 kJ/kg, particularly in urban places, whereas it is 6,000-7,000 kJ/kg for industrial and commercial establishments. LFG generation is predicted from the data taken from the Harmandali landfill area. As a result, energy generation from LFG is shown to be environmentally beneficial and an economic alternative.