Fiji's rubbish will help power the country
Updated
Fiji is working on realising its ambitious target of deriving 90 percent of its energy from renewables by 2011. The latest milestone is the signing of a multi-million dollar agreement between Fiji Electricity Authority and a company which uses rubbish to generate power.
Presenter: Kate McPherson
Speaker: Enesi Yavala, Chairman of Iviti Renewable Disenergy Power Plant Company
- Listen:
- Windows Media
MCPHERSON: A new power plant being built in Fiji will convert waste into electricity easing pressure on landfills and reducing the government's expenditure on imported diesel. Iviti Renewable Disenergy Power Plant Company, or IRD, will build its first power plant in Sigatoka after signing a multi-million dollar agreement to produce electricity for government owned Fiji Electricity Authority. The first power plant will use a range of different wastes to produce energy. Chairman of IRD Ratu Enesi Yavala:
YAVALA: Materials that will be used here is we used bio-mass, we use contaminated soil, we use construction debris, we use waste oil, sediment, sludge, we use sewer water, we even use sawdust and even green waste. Looking at that it's virtually all the waste that we find around the place. The only waste that we do not process because it doesn't have moisture is metal and glass.
MCPHERSON: IRD has entered into contracts with waste collectors throughout Fiji, which is hoped will ease the pressure on landfills.
YAVALA: It will take care of our problems with rubbish, Fiji currently especially in Suva, people are finding it very hard to actually pay the exorbitant fee charged by the only landfill that we have. And by having such a plant we will do away with landfills, therefore we have more land that we can utilise for other development projects which are wasted on landfills.
MCPHERSON: Mr Yavala says there should be no concerns about pollution coming from the power plant because the technology used does not allow any flame to contact the waste, so there is no burning.
YAVALA: There will be zero emissions of any kind coming out from the plant. We have a zero pollution, which is actually killed during the process.
MCPHERSON: Mr Yavala says even plastics can be used without emitting toxic fumes.
YAVALA: Plastics also will be used, most of the car body parts will be used, because all these are actually melted in a high oxidation process at 1,200 degrees. It will have a one per cent addition but we have state of the art gadgets that will totally eradicate the induction that come out of plastics.
MCPHERSON: The first power plant will help to power the new hotel development projects on the Coral Coast.
YAVALA: The first plant is actually built on the Coral Coast, Coral Coast is the western side of Fiji where most of the huge development projects, huge resorts are based. For example, Momi, and other various hotel projects that are on the pipeline.
MCPHERSON: The power plant will have a sorting department where employees will divide items into waste for recycling and waste to be used by the plant. Mr Yavala explains the process of converting waste into gas and steam.
YAVALA: The waste is actually heated up to a maximum temperature of 1,200 degrees, and when this is heated up what we actually get from waste is different gases depending on the waste stream. And all these gases are mixed with water for another two seconds, and then it is heated again to 800 degrees whereby this water and gases are actually turned into steam. And then the electrical generator is attached to the steam generator producing electricity.
MCPHERSON: Mr Yavala says the cost of electricity for consumers could be reduced.
YAVALA: By building a couple of these waste energy power plants around the country it should lower the cost of electricity by consumers due to the fact that the source that we're utilising is renewable compared to fuel, which is imported at a very exorbitant price.
MCPHERSON: The first power plant aims to produce three per cent of Fiji's energy needs, but IRD hopes to build five power plants, which will produce around ten per cent of Fiji's energy needs. Mr Yavala says Fiji Electricity Authority is happy with the deal. The first power plant will save the government $17 million on its fuel importation bill. Savings of between $100 million and $400 million for the FEA are expected once all five waste to energy power plants are up and running.
