genia bioenergy
We are working on the design of a biodigester to valorise the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) to produce biomethane, fertilizer and protein, thus preventing disposal in landfills or by incineration.
The Valuewaste project aims to solve the issue of organic waste in cities by preventing it from ending up in landfills or being incinerated without harnessing its potential worth. The project works on methods of separation and collection of organic waste and its treatment by means of anaerobic digestion (fermentation of organic waste by bacteria in an oxygen-free environment) to convert the waste into valuable products such as methane gas (that can be injected into the natural gas grid), organic compost and fertilizer and – the project’s great challenge – proteins fit for manufacture of animal feed and even for human consumption.
One of the main challenges of this ambitious European project to eliminate organic waste landfills is to develop a biodigester that does not require interior mechanical agitation.
The project, which started in 2018 and was scheduled to wind up in 2022, europeosinvolves the cooperation of fourteen companies, organisations and government bodies from seven European countries. Its significance lies in the fact that it addresses the entire waste valorisation chain from separation and collection to treatment, recovery and reuse. The project has a budget of 10.8 million euros, 80% of which is funded by the EU.
Implementation of this system in European towns and cities will prevent the accumulation of organic waste in landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the risk of groundwater contamination. It will also contribute to European self-sufficiency in strategic resources such as natural gas, nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich organic fertilizers and proteins. The EU currently imports 77% of its protein needs and the project aims to produce up to 60 tonnes per year. Implementation of this organic waste-management system represents a significant step towards a circular economy since valuable resources are obtained from waste, thus benefiting crop and livestock farming and industry.
In spite of the delayed implementation of such technologies in Spain where there are only around 300 facilities compared to over 1,600 in comparable countries like Italy, both Inderen and Genia Global Energy have extensive international experience in the design and installation of biogas plants. They have previously collaborated on research projects such as EASYCOMPOST and LIFE ANADRY to explore the potential of this technology.
Once the efficacy of the model – which employs pumps and diffusers instead of mechanical agitation to facilitate waste fermentation – is verified, it will be implemented on an industrial scale in the project’s two pilot cities: Murcia (Spain) and Kalundborg (Denmark).
Information on the project:
