can and does work. Unfortunately,
there have been some well-publicised
early failures in the South African
space, primarily due to attempts to
apply Euro-centric technology in the
South African context, without an
appreciation of local factors.
Global Energy have adapted well-
proven European technology and
practices, to make them somewhat
simpler and better-suited to the local
environment, and in the process
have developed true “home-grown”
technology that has been demonstrated
to be both reliable and cost-effective.
Biogas is expensive
Through a broad-minded approach,
understanding of the process,
simplification of management thereof,
and a concerted effort to adapt and
utilise local products and technology,
Global Energy has managed to
significantly reduce the cost of a
fully-functioning, fully automated,
safe and efficient biogas plant. The
typical cost of a full turn-key project,
including commissioning, is around
R35 000 per installed kW(electrical).
Further energy is available for heating
purposes.
Solar Energy is more cost-
effective:
While it is true that the quoted R/kWh
of solar energy is somewhat lower than
biogas, the effective power output of
such an installation need to be clearly
understood. Typically, for a 100kW
solar installation the output of this
system will be quoted as 100kW(peak).
What this means is that clean panels,
on a clear day, at noon, during mid-
summer, will produce 100kW.
However, what needs to be factored
in is the fact that this solar installation
will only start electricity production an
hour-or-two after sunrise, and that is
depending on panel orientation. It will
also only generate at peak out-put for
3-4 hours around mid-day, and will
stop generating completely an hour-or-
two before sunset. At best, a 100kW
solar electricity installation will produce
an average of 450kWh per day.
By comparison, a 100kW biogas
plant could produce as much as 2
400kWh per day. The maths is not
complicated. The cost of the energy
from the biogas system is 3.6 times
less expensive than from the solar
system. Furthermore, the power output
from the biogas system is continuous,
it includes integrated storage so
that when production exceeds
consumption, it is automatically stored
for later use. Up to twice the electrical
power output is available for heating
purposes, and there may be significant
savings on organic waste disposal.
The technology can be applied to
any organic wastes, such as animal
manure from feedlots and dairies,
waste from food processing and packing
factories and abattoir waste. The energy
derived from the process is specific to
the waste stream in question.
The biogas plants are specifically
designed for each waste producer’s
site and is sized based on the
waste stream quantities and energy
consumption of the waste producer.
The design ensures that the waste
producer does not export electrical power
and so eliminates the need for power
purchase agreements with the utility.
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