GAS TO ELECTRICITY PROJECT LAUNCHED IN DURBAN

A landmark project that converts gas from household waste into electricity has been officially launched in Durban.

A first for Africa, the project will produce enough electricity for thousands of medium-income homes and inject tens of millions of rands into the city coffers through the sale of electricity and certified emission reduction credits, also known as carbon credits.

But the real winner will be the environment. Millions of cubic metres of greenhouse gases that would otherwise have escaped into the atmosphere each year, contributing to global warming, will now be converted into clean electricity. The project is currently operating at the Marianhill and La Mercy landfills and will be extended to the larger Bisasar Road landfill.

The project was launched by Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters on 29 January. She said the project will accelerate the use of renewable energy and deal with energy challenges.

The project is expected to address the waste management and energy demand and will reduce poverty by creation of employment opportunities, improvement of health status and air quality. The landfill gas project received R17.3 million through the Department of Trade and Industry's Critical Infrastructure Programme. Total project income revenue is estimated around R4.5 million per month realised from the sale of carbon credits and the sale of electricity.