Municipal waste to be converted into power
Minimal impact on the environment
A power plant that can process 250 tons of waste per day will generate 8.5 megawatts of electricity and 17.5 megawatts of heat.This is the City Council’s plan to build a waste-to-energy plant that will generate bulk power and ultimately improve the capital's waste management.
Windhoekers produces around 7 000 tons of municipal solid waste every month, which forms a firm basis for the planned plant.
The announcement was made during the latest municipal council meeting, with the initiative aiming to diversify energy supply, improve the security of power supply and also reduce carbon emissions.
The City of Windhoek (CoW) has already completed a preliminary study to determine the project's viability before a more comprehensive study is carried out.
The latter will examine various operating scenarios and also serve as a guideline for the development of the facilities.
The plant will also have the potential to process up to 400 tonnes per day, should waste from neighbouring towns be added to Windhoekers' monthly 7 000 tonnes.
By using advanced incineration technology, the plant will be able to efficiently process a variety of types of waste without the need for sorting. Minimal impact on the environment is ensured by a modern system that controls air pollution and that complies with international standards including those of the European Union (EU).
According to the City, depending on an environmental impact study (EIA), the proposed plant will be erected near existing industrial areas or the Kupferberg landfill.
The hope of the plant is that it will enable Windhoek to regain its status as Africa's cleanest city through sustainable waste disposal.
The municipality's management department for solid waste, as well as its electricity department, are at the helm of the project. – [email protected]