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and carbon dioxide. This creates biogas that can be converted to electricity and heat. The plant, located at the Elgin Fruit Juices factory in Grabouw, Western Cape, uses an anaerobic digester to convert approximately 60 tonnes/day of organic waste into methane-rich biogas. The biogas is then used to generate steam in a biogas boiler, which is used by Elgin Fruit Juices to produce its products. The Elgin Biodigestion Plant creates a digestate that is high in nutrient value. There are ongoing investigations into how to beneficiate this valuable digestate through setting up a composting facility as well as a semi-commercial farm, which could create sustainable employment for the local community. The goods from the farm will then be sold back to the very food retail stores that generate the organic waste in the first place. “This would mean that carbon-negative energy is created – a circular economic system – and an
impoverished community is being empowered,” Fourie adds. The plant is currently operating at 50% capacity, with it rapidly ramping up to 80-100% in the next few months.
Future plans Fourie explains that Zero Waste Technologies and Wasteplan have designed a truck that will be responsible for the collection and transportation of organic waste from designated sites in the Western Cape to the facilities. Previously, no service existed that solely collected organic waste, seeing as a full wheelie bin is heavy and difficult to transport on a bakkie. “In response to this, we designed a truck specifically to collect organic waste and deliver it to the Elgin Biodigestion Plant. The truck can lift the organic waste wheelie bins. We wanted a vehicle that is robust yet small enough to ride down the narrow streets of Cape Town but also
big enough to transport substantial amounts of organic waste. This truck should begin operating in August this year,” says Fourie. The truck is expected to be arriving within the next two months; delays were caused due to Covid-19. The truck will service shopping centres, restaurant and university hostels.
Benefits The beneficiation of waste has significant financial incentives for companies. In the case of Elgin Fruit Juices, the correct operation of its biodigester will decrease the cost of production through a reduced reliance on coal for steam production, as well as remove the cost of waste disposal. Other business benefits include: • coal cost savings: R2.2 million per annum • carbon footprint reduction: approximately 2 600 tonnes CO2e through coal fuel replacement only • landfill waste reduction: 18 250 tonnes per annum • carbon footprint reduction: 36 540 tonnes CO2e per annum through landfill diversion • savings in waste disposal: between R150-600/ tonne depending on type of waste. Making a success of the biogas projects will further play an important role in the industry, which has not yet reached its potential in South Africa generally due to poor management.
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