A private company of New Zealand, in a joint venture with the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK), will set up a project to generate power using cattle dung of Landhi Cattle Colony.
The installation of the Landhi Cattle Colony 'Waste to Energy Project' will prevent the dumping of the cattle dung into the sea and instead will use it to produce Methane gas for generation of 25 MW power and about 1400 tons of dried organic fertiliser per day.
The project, being implemented by Clean Energy Development Ltd/Empower, New Zealand, will process the waste from an estimated 400,000 cattle, which produce 7200 tons of dung per day. Its capital cost is US $75 million. The pilot phase of the project, to be completed by the end of 2007, would generate 14 tons of organic fertiliser per day.
New Zealand Minister for Trade Phil Goff performed the inauguration ceremony at a local hotel on Sunday.
He congratulated the organisers and people of Karachi on this project, which would help reduce pollution in the area. The project will have huge benefits to the people socially, economically and environmentally, he added.
The environment of the area was under threat due to disposal of animal dung directly into the sea, he said adding that the project would help generate electricity for the city and also would be beneficial for the people of the area as a lot jobs would be created. This project would save water, which is presently used to flush out dung into the sea, he added.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided funds for this important project.
New Zealand minister said the New Zealand AID had provided $500,000 for development of the project and establishment of the pilot project.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman, Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) Air Marshal Shahid Hamid said that now the board is actively working on the promotion of bio-gas, biomass and waste to energy systems in the country.
He said major cities of Pakistan produce thousands of tons of solid municipal waste as well as millions of gallons of wastewater.
Shahid Hamid said Karachi city produces about 10,000 metric tons of solid waste daily, out of which only 30 to 40 percent is transported and dumped into open dumping sites while the rest is either left unattended or is being burnt. The burning of solid waste generates harmful gases that pollute the environment, cause global warming, green house effect, climate change and some gases are carcinogenic. All the 10,000 tons of garbage generated at Karachi can be converted into energy, utilising a combination of various waste to energy technologies, he added.
Elaborating the AEDB`s initiatives and efforts for generating energy in the country, the chairman said four letters of intent (LoI) have been issued so far for waste to energy projects, ranging from 20 MW to 50 MW. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been signed between AEDB and SHAW International Ltd for setting up biomass/waste to energy plant up to 50 MW capacity.
Speaking on the occasion, the President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Karachi (KCCI) Majyd Aziz said that the city needs more power and this project is a ray of hope for the people of city.
He pointed out that in summer days, the city face shortage of 350 to 400 MW power and in the month of June it surpasses to 600 MW. KCCI chief pointed that the despite privatisation of KESC, the power problems have still not solved.
In a joint presentation, Ms. Ann McLean, Tony Woods and Syed Feroz Shah, Director, National Engineering Corporation (NEC) said that this project was initially submitted in 1998, and it passed through various processes and finally approved in 2007.
After the Pilot phase, the project would be completed by 2009, they added.
Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam Khan also attended the ceremony and appreciated the efforts of the proponents for the Landhi Cattle Colony Waste to Energy Project.
He said the project has recently got the Host Country Approval owning to its strong sustainability content. All of these are environmentally friendly products and they collectively would be saving over 1.5 million tons of carbon every year.
In his welcome address, the Executive District Officer (EDO), Enterprise and Investment Promotion (E&IP), CDGK Syed Hassan Naqvi said that the city government has given approval of the project within six months.
This project would reduce environmental pollution in Landhi and Korangi areas, he added. President National forum for environment and Health M.Qureshi co-ordinator clinton foundation Arapna Aagarwal, Chairman CNG Association Malik Khua Baksh and others leading personalities attended the ceremony.
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