Ecuador enhances capacity to convert waste into electricity
Date
10/20/2024 2:15:54 AM
(MENAFN) Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is enhancing its capacity to convert waste into electricity through the expansion of a biogas plant managed by Gasgreen, a Spanish business group. With an investment of approximately USD6 million, the expansion comes at a crucial time as the country faces an energy crisis, with scheduled power outages lasting up to 10 hours daily. The plant is located in El Inga, the city’s main landfill, where most of Quito’s garbage is deposited.
The energy crisis in Ecuador is largely driven by a severe drought affecting the country’s primary hydroelectric power plants, which are unable to meet the national demand for electricity. In response, the newly expanded biogas facility will help alleviate some of this burden by increasing its installed capacity from 5 to 9 megawatts. According to reports from the Spanish news agency EFE, this increased capacity will provide enough power to light over 40,000 homes.
Gasgreen’s total direct investment in the biogas plant at El Inga amounts to around USD20 million, with operations having begun in 2016. The facility converts approximately 16,000 tons of methane gas annually into electricity, an amount equivalent to offsetting 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This is comparable to the total emissions from vehicles in Quito at the time, demonstrating the plant’s significant contribution to reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
The process works by capturing methane gas from the waste that is properly sealed in the landfill and using it as fuel for generators that produce electricity, which is then fed into the national grid. This operation is carried out by Gasgreen in partnership with the Metropolitan Public Company for Comprehensive Solid Waste Management (EMGIRS-EP). The CEO of Gasgreen expressed confidence in expanding the company’s role in Ecuador’s electricity generation, highlighting the sustainability of the biogas project compared to other renewable energy alternatives.
MENAFN20102024000045015839ID1108798462
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.