NPI set to drive an impactful climate change action with the first Namibian biogas project
Rising water levels, hotter summers and colder winters are major signs of climate change raising the need for action against the issue. On a corporate perspective, more and more brands are driven in a CSR direction aimed at contributing to climate action to reduce greenhouse effects. Often, this is done by incorporating themes revolving around sustainability in their corporate strategies and brand campaigns.
Sub-Saharan Africa has ground-breaking potential to unlock sustainable farming initiatives and generate clean renewable energy with new technologies available. Using a triple dividend of resilience approach, a farming environment could be developed to support adaptation to climate variability and change, reduction of carbon emissions and promotion of food security. As a matter of fact, Namibia is the first country in the world known to have incorporated protection of the environment in its constitution.
With the biogas project, Namib Poultry Industries (NPI) embarks on a mission to make an impactful change and create a sustainable footprint for Namibia. Namib Biogas is a proposed plant which will comprise of a biodigester, power generation, fertilizer production plants and lastly treat wastewater and recover potable water. 40 tons of daily hazardous organic waste would be converted into biogas and digestate. Since, we are additionally looking at the plant as a renewable source of energy, methane gas (MH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the primary components in biogas. Heat and energy are to be generated from waste.
NPI intends to use chicken manure as the main feedstock for the biogas plant. Multiplying microorganisms (MOs) will not necessitate the adding of chemicals with all required nutrients contained. Being part of the established Namib Mills Investments Group (NMI) in Namibia, NPI has an advantage in becoming more profitable. They have built up their reputation in a short span of time as a local market leader. This means with the specialist knowledge in the Namibian poultry industry, they have even higher control in making sure the plant operations are as sustainable as possible.
Potential extensions for the project will see the construction of facilities that sustain the refining process for gas, oil and petroleum products, again in the same spirit of using clean energy from waste to power the operations. We can also expect better solutions when it comes to the treatment, handling and storage of hazardous substances.
Words: Rozanne vd Merwe
For more on Biogas in Namibia, please visit our webpage: https://namibbiogas.com/
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