The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Peter Letlhogonolo Siele has said that the construction of a waste energy to power and carbon capture plant whose agreement was signed the past Friday at Kgatleng District Council Chamber would solve waste management problem faced by the district. It will also create employment.
Giving remarks to officially mark the signing of the agreement, Siele said the signing by Kgatleng District Development Foundation and Clean Energy Botswana would culminate into the construction of a Waste to Energy Power and Carbon Capture plant at Pilane Landfill. In the agreement, Clean Energy Botswana (PTY) Ltd commits to develop commission and operate the waste to energy facility.
“I am reliably informed that this facility will be developed in two phases. Phase one will process approximately 20 tons of fresh waste per day and will serve as the demonstration phase. Phase two is the expansion of the Waste to Energy facility to handle 400 tons of waste per day. This second phase will extend the solution to waste management beyond Kgatleng District to Gaborone, Kanye, South East, Kweneng and Lobatse Councils as plant will ably handle volume of waste from the initial 20 tons to 400 tons,” he explained.
He said the objectives of phase one of the project, are to receive and process all the available solid waste from Kgatleng (20 tons per day) using a clean, pollution free process in proven waste processing facility. Additionally, he said, it would capture the Carbon Dioxide emitted from the plant, neutralize it, and produce pure minerals for export using locally produced quarried feldspar.
“Overtime, the project will mine the existing Landfill at Pilane and others in the vicinity, to reclaim the Landfill sites. This mining will also serve to increase the volumes of waste that the facility will process. In phase one as well, the facility will produce some electricity from the process, most of which will be used within the total Waste to Energy and carbon Capture plant, with a small amount of electricity that can be sold to an off-taker,” he said.
He explained that concurrent with the establishment of Phase one of the facilities, Clean Energy Botswana will construct and operate a demonstration carbon capture and neutralization plant connected to the Waste Energy Facility. This would capture 80% of any carbon dioxide emissions and enable the production of select minerals from fedstar brought in to the facility.
The two phases of the project he said are estimated to cost US$85 and create employment to citizens for about 500 jobs. With the other spinoff activities such as quarry, recycling and salvaging, this can create about 1000 jobs.
“It is our sincere hope that this initiative will alleviate the current challenge of solid waste management. My Ministry continues to encourage Local Authorities and other community based organisations to come up with solutions to solve challenges facing them, hence assist government,” h e said, adding that the initiative and partnership is indicative of the fact that communities are capable of taking charge of their destiny.
Hoping that the partnership would inspire others, Siele pointed out the fact that it is a win-win undertaking and urged all parties to nurture the relationship.
