1. 15 September 2017
Mark Tiepelt – SABIA Administrator
www.biogasassociation.co.za
NCPC Industrial
Efficiency Conference
2017
2. SABIA was established in 2013 to represent all stakeholders in
the biogas industry in Southern Africa. The focus of the
association is to identify and address the barriers and
challenges faced by the industry, in order for it to develop to its
full potential.
"Creating a single voice to promote the multiple benefits of
biogas in Southern Africa"
www.biogasassociation.co.za
MISSION
4. SABIA has 80 members made up of project
developers, consultants, professionals, academics, students
and other interested parties.
www.biogasassociation.co.za
MEMBERS
5. www.biogasassociation.co.za
NATIONAL BIOGAS
CONFERENCE
It’s the most important yearly appointment for the biogas
industry in Southern Africa.
In partnership with DoE, GIZ, USAID-SALED
Project developers, consultants, professionals, academics,
students and other interested parties
1-3 November 2017, DBSA Midrand
Day 1: Legislative Environment
Day 2: Industry Day
Day 3: Research day
6. www.biogasassociation.co.za
SABS STANDARDS
SABIA is now supported by UNIDO which appointed
consultants for the development of Biogas Standards and
Biogas Guidelines, to complement the standards.
UNIDO appointed consultants after a public tender process.
Work to be completed under the direct guidance of SABIA.
SABIA has been worked over
the past two years to develop
the first two SABS Standards
for biogas.
7. www.biogasassociation.co.za
TRAINING COURSES
SABIA now hosts training courses focusing on the immediate
needs of the industry.
A main focus is on the training of biogas plant operators and
SABIA will hold short courses regularly.
SABIA and partners are developing a biogas curriculum for tertiary
institutions as part of post graduate studies.
8. www.biogasassociation.co.za
NATIONAL BIOGAS
PLATFORM
Initiated in conjunction with DOE
and GIZ.
Brings together public and
private sector to help build
capacity within the biogas sector
in South Africa.
Resulted in the addition of the Biogas Information Hub on the
SABIA website.
Please refer to the SABIA website for more information.
9. www.biogasassociation.co.za
PROJECT DEVELOPER
FORUM
SABIA members can join the project development forum and
the technical forum, to promote the market for biogas in SA.
The forum aims to create the right space to share information
between project developers about the difficulties and the
success stories typical of every new biogas projects or plants
already in operation.
10. www.biogasassociation.co.za
ENERGY POTENTIAL IN SA
Wastewater MWth MWe
Domestic black
water Municipal WWTP 842 253
Animal husbandry Feedlots (solids & liquids) 215 65
Rural cattle (kraaled at night - solids only) 3445 1035
Dairies (solid & liquid) 121 36
Piggeries (solid & liquid) 715 215
Poultry (solid only) 2976 894
Red meat & Poultry Abattoirs (liquid waste only) 55 17
Olive production 4 1
Fruit processing Waste water only, no pulp or pomace 68 20
Winery 3 1
Distillery Grain, grape & sugarcane (molasses) 70 21
Brewery 17 5
Textile industry 22 7
Pulp and paper 100 30
Petrochemical waste 48 14
8701 2613
Courtesy of: WRC Energy from Wastewater Feasibility Study
ESSENCE REPORTS compiled by UCT
11. www.biogasassociation.co.za
PROJECTS
South Africa has been one of the leading countries in the world
in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s for biogas digesters built at
municipal Waste Water Treatment Works.
In 2006 first landfill gas to electricity
project in Durban.
In 2014 a digesters at a WWTW in
Johannesburg were refurbished and
a 1.1MW biogas plant
commissioned.
17. John Fry: SA Biogas Pioneer
Photograph appeared in a Farmers Weekly
published in 1957!
18. www.biogasassociation.co.za
BENEFITS
Biogas plants do not
ONLY produce electricity!
• Sustainable waste management (abattoirs, manure, processing plants,
cheese factories, breweries, etc)
• CHP from gensets (free heat energy)
• Digestate is an organic compost (additional revenue stream)
• Reduction of CO2 emissions (green houses)
• Carbon footprint/carbon neutrality
• Green jobs (5/MW compared to 0.9/MW for solar!)
• Skills transfer (introduction of new technology)
19. www.biogasassociation.co.za
CHALLENGE
• No feed-in tariff or incentive scheme based on the real benefits of
biogas industry (not only electricity production)
• General lack of awareness (both in government as well as private
sector)
• Lack of local experience (particularly on operational side)
• Challenges around financial viability, specifically on the small scale
(< 1MW)
• Long approval processes (license, EIA, PPA, wheeling agreements,
MFMA, etc)
• Funding reluctance from banks (again for plants < 1MW)
• IPP process – complicated, costly, only above 1MW (most projects
below 1MW)