In response to business interest and requests for information, GreenCape has developed a report on the business case for biogas from solid wastes in the Western Cape. The report highlights the current status of biogas in the Western Cape and explores the drivers for financial feasibility.
Current status
The report showcases 5 of the 21 biogas projects currently in existence or being planned. While the business case is highly site specific some general requirements for success are identified:
Guarantee of consistent feedstock quantity and quality
Reduced waste management costs
Supplementation of electrical and thermal energy used on-site
Additionally, the economies of scale and cost of managing the digestate stream are key factors that influence viability.
Business cases
To examine the business case drivers, two business cases were modelled using a spreadsheet tool developed by GreenCape, namely :
A small biogas installation in a commercial context
A medium-scale biogas installation in the agri-processing context
Our analysis suggests that small scale commercial biogas facilities (<50 kWe) are currently not financially viable for the generation of electricity. However, medium scale (50 kWe to 1MW) biogas facilities at an abattoir, at the middle to high end of the size range, are financially viable. This is due to high waste management costs and energy demand on‑site.
Click here to download the full report.
Current status
The report showcases 5 of the 21 biogas projects currently in existence or being planned. While the business case is highly site specific some general requirements for success are identified:
Guarantee of consistent feedstock quantity and quality
Reduced waste management costs
Supplementation of electrical and thermal energy used on-site
Additionally, the economies of scale and cost of managing the digestate stream are key factors that influence viability.
Business cases
To examine the business case drivers, two business cases were modelled using a spreadsheet tool developed by GreenCape, namely :
A small biogas installation in a commercial context
A medium-scale biogas installation in the agri-processing context
Our analysis suggests that small scale commercial biogas facilities (<50 kWe) are currently not financially viable for the generation of electricity. However, medium scale (50 kWe to 1MW) biogas facilities at an abattoir, at the middle to high end of the size range, are financially viable. This is due to high waste management costs and energy demand on‑site.
Click here to download the full report.
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