MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Spekboom is the new oil and a company called UHURU Energy has successfully used it to make biomethane and green diesel. Both spekboom and waste were punted as a life line for the ailing PetroSA GTL refinery and the local ratepayers who are buckling under increasing tariff increases for both refuse removal and electricity.
Mossel Bay's executive mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal called for further discussions with representatives of UHURU Energy after their recent presentation to the Mossel Bay Municipality's executive management.
Managing and technical director of UHURU Energy, David Sonnenberg believes that by replicating, within the Eden district, the biomethane production system in Europe, it can supply cost-effective, renewable and developmental energy in the form of gas and power to the greater Eden area. By doing so, a number of jobs could be created.
Sonnenberg added that the entire Eden region, even the Western Cape, did not produce sufficient waste to supply the need for biomethane production.
This alternative use for waste may render the imposed ultra-expensive regional waste disposal facility unnecessary ultimately.
Due to the efficient use of both dry and wet biomass, together with municipal waste, UHURU can supply green gases to the district for refining, electricity and as a fuel for transport, Sonnenberg said.
"As there is no support or subsidy in South Africa the challenge is to supply the gases at competitive prices - the same or less than fossil fuel. This can be achieved by developing large scale solutions, such as by using the biomass twice - firstly, to produce biomethane; secondly to produce bio-syngas - and by using local waste to manufacture gases. As local waste does not exceed the need, bespoke energy crops would have to be grown on marginal land not suitable for food production," Sonnenberg said.
Energy and agri-processing consultant Louis Serfontein added that UHURU had undertaken various studies of many productive Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants, such as the well-known spekboom, Euphoria Tirucalli, commonly known as firesticks, and certain types of Opuntia cactus.
According to Sonnenberg, UHURU has studied and been involved with green biomass to energy projects globally - including studies of Cactus projects in Sicily, Mexico, Chile and parts of Europe that are collectively situated across more than 350 000 hectares in climates like the Little Karoo.
Alien species
He said in terms of the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations (AIS), National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No 10 of 2004), the spiny form of O. ficus-indica was declared a category 1 weed, which necessitated its control, or removal and destruction if possible. No trade or planting of spiny prickly pear is allowed, the exception being the spineless fruiting opuntia, if used for human fruit and or fodder.
All spineless cultivars and selections (commonly known as Cactus Pear) are exempt from this legislation, and may be cultivated without legal objections.
"With abundant land available, absence of the need for water, and an arid climate, fast growing and sustainable CAM plants provide a continuous output for periods of up to 20 years with minimum irrigation.
"Mossel Bay borders on the Karoo. The Karoo is a semi-desert, natural region of South Africa and is partly defined by its topography, geology, and climate and above all, its low rainfall, arid air, cloudless skies, and extremes of heat and cold," Sonnenberg enthused.
Specific digester
UHURU has developed a specific digester to produce BioMethane for African conditions. UHURU works with WIEFFERINK to build and commission anaerobic digesters for African climates for the production of biogas from energy crops grown on arid or marginal land.
WIEFFERINK has successfully built and tested this new digester in the European Union.
Biosyngas
David said UHURU could create green gases such as BioSynGas which is typically processed from municipal solid waste sourced from landfills. As the district cannot produce sufficient waste to supply in the need, an option would be to reactivate the railway system so that refuse may be sourced more cost effectively from municipalities further afield. Considering the availability of the harbour, waste may possibly be shipped in.
"Biocrude is a renewable type of fuel that is manufactured some distances away from Mossel Bay. Woodwaste from sustainable plantations in the area producing wood waste, alien vegetation farming and digestate, the dry portion of the waste process from large-scale biogas digestion are all used for biosyngas."
Biomethane
This is typically processed from bespoke energy crops such as the spekboom and other CAM plants grown in the district on either community farms or even UHURU managed farms and creates opportunities for emerging farmers.
Other sources are typically fermentable invasive crops such as Port Jackson willow, agri-waste, bespoke algae crops grown on C02 co-product, manure, human waste and abattoir waste.
Benefits
Using both biomethane and biosyngas offer several benefits. According to Sonnenberg, BioMethane production from either locally grown bespoke energy crops, and biosyngas from municipal solid waste and digestate from the anaerobic digestion process provides the most cost-effective opportunity of alternative gases.Further benefits, he said, included, but were not limited to the creation of many local job opportunities, the development of a renewable new economy in the Eden district. the mitigation of vast carbon emissions, and mitigation of climate change. A knock-on effect of decreased carbon emissions by end users was an added bonus. Furthermore, the project was both expandable and replicable.
Ultimately, it would improve the local and regional economy.
Mossel Bay
"There are many benefits of Green Gas supply to Mossel Bay. The project is renewable, expandable and developmental. The gases can be supplied to PetroSA Refinery with green locally developed gases. Many thousands of new, sustainable job opportunities will be created, and marginal arid land will be developed.
"UHURU Energy has proposed a green gas supply to PetroSA which would ensure local job creation, use of marginalised land and greening the outputs from the refinery. The company has met the minister of energy and representatives of CEF, majority shareholders of PetroSA," Sonnenberg stressed. Talks were also held with senior managers of the premier's office.
"Mossel Bay could be run on renewable energy entirely. It could become the greenest municipality globally, which would be a great tourist attraction for the region," Sonnenberg concluded. Talks will follow also on the possibility of developing a small scale gas to power plant as an alternative to expensive waste disposal.
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER NEWS EDITOR
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