Developers outline plans
On Wednesday this week, the Grahamstown Residents Association (GRA) held a public presentation at Eden Grove on the Waste to Energy project proposed for Makana municipality.
There were several speakers including Chris Wilkins, who is from the Cacadu Development Agency (CDA). Wilkins opened the presentation for the evening and addressed the audience at the meeting on the progress they have made as the development agency with regards to the projects they have implemented and were successful with across the country.
The Cacadu Development Agency had 76 projects planned but had only implemented 42 with 35 being successful and the rest failing.
The second half of the presentation was given by the Blue Crane Green Energy (BCGE) which was chaired by the di- rector Brian Barnard to present the Waste to Energy project.
The project is at the research stage. It could start being implemented in 2018 if the research that still needs to be done around the dumping sites in the area and the market research prove positive. If the feasibility study is positive it will move to the next development stage.
The major role players in this proposed project include Makana Municipality, Rhodes University, Cacadu Development Agency, Blue Crane Green Energy and the community. The Cacadu Development Agency has appointed Blue Crane Green Energy as the service provider to source funding for and develop renewable energy projects throughout the district.
Barnard of Blue Crane Green Energy explained that the project will be using biomass, converting it into clean thermal energy and Biochar which will be converted to electricity via air-cooled turbine and generators. This biomass will be composed of the waste material from the dump sites and garden refuse. The main biomass will be from harvesting alien invasive plants.
The plan is to install a green power plant which will supply this renewable energy and sell it with Rhodes University being targeted as the purchaser of this power.
This is because part of the viability of doing the project is to find a guaranteed buyer for the electricity.
The units are each 2MW of power which is about the amount Rhodes University needs.
If successful, further units could be added which could further supply the National Arts Festival, businesses and agriculture.
There is a growing market for products which could use green energy in their production so this development could enhance the marketability of goods produced with this green energy.
Because this process uses up carbon, it is actually carbon negative, hence its being called “green energy”.
During the presentation, Barnard outlined some of the environmental impacts of running such projects. He mentioned that this green plant will ensure viable sustainability of power in the Grahamstown area. It will also help in eliminating the illegal dumping sites around the area as most of these sites will be used as sources to the required biomass for the energy.
The time frames for the development steps for having the green plant installed and start operating include a consultative stage which is currently ongoing; for the operation to start running, the task team behind the project estimated between 12 to 18 months. Barnard confirmed that they are currently in the development stage which will take approximately three to six months.
Other projects in the pipeline for the Cacadu Development Agency are the restoration of the Dakawa Art Centre and a proposal to develop the Grahamstown Airport.
R560 000 has been set aside by the Department of Arts and Culture for the Dakawa project, which is in the procurement process to appoint an architect for the first phase.
The airport plan is a concept document, with initiatives such as an air park and a flying school being explored.