Namibian city installs new biodigestors

The Namibia city of Windhoek plans to upgrade the main sludge treatment system at a local water works, installing new gas engines and improving the existing biodigestors. These biodigestors will be closed off, so that the harmful gases do not escape into the air and are instead used to generate power.

This electricity will be made from biogas that is created throughout the process. Pierre van Rensburg, the man behind the project, says he hopes the programme will get approval with the technical service provider by the end of the month.

The project will help to reduce the amount of methane released into the air, whilst at the same time provide revenue from the sales of Certified Emissions Reduction certificates, which have been developed under the Kyoto Protocol. These funds will be put towards the upgrade costs.

It is thought the project will raise about N$2 million (€195,400) to N$3 million a year and the refurbishment should take about 12 months to complete.

 van Rensburg has been involved in a carbon consulting process in which designs were submitted to various validators in order to get quotes on the most economically-viable design.

The project has already received national approval, registration and validation.