Historic Million-Dollar Investment in the First Biogas Plant in Alagoas Will Generate Electricity from Methane Gas from Landfill Waste and Lower Residents’ Electricity Bills

State Is One of the Pioneers in Using This New Technique to Produce Electricity

The state of Alagoas is making progress by adopting a new way to generate electricity: from methane gas emitted from landfill waste. This is achieved through the installation of the state’s 1st biogas plant, completed on March 17, 2022, capable of producing clean energy by repurposing compounds. This achievement has already reduced electricity bills for merchants by up to 12%, and the expectation is that this percentage will only increase.

The investment for the construction of the Central Waste Treatment Plant of Greater Maceió was over R$8 million, by the Alagoas Ambiental group. The plant’s production capacity is sufficient to supply more than 4,000 residences, totaling 8.5 GWh per year. The million-dollar investment was made after several years of research to accurately determine the amount of methane gas needed to power the engine. Learn more about this innovation in today’s coverage.

Understand a Little More About Electricity Generation from the Biogas Plant with the Video Below

Biogas Is the Result of Several Stages of Processing Urban Solid Waste and Will Generate Savings on Electricity Bills for Residents and Merchants

For biogas production from urban solid waste, several processing stages are necessary. First, the waste undergoes natural decomposition, causing the resulting gases, primarily methane, to rise. These gases are then collected by pipelines and directed to a treatment station.

The process continues with the treatment of this biogas, by removing impurities and water components. This is done to ensure that these particles and water do not damage the engine in the long run. Finally, the methane gas is directed to the engine, powering it and generating electricity. This repurposing of gas is also great for the environment, as it prevents contamination from being released into nature without any treatment.

This way, the trend is that consumers will save on their electricity bills, especially merchants. Alagoas’s first biogas plant already supplies some establishments that use medium and low voltage as a way to test and adjust the operation and supply of renewable energy.

Alagoas Ambiental, Responsible for the Biogas Plant, Plans to Build Two More Plants by the End of 2022

Alagoas Ambiental made the million-dollar investment and delivered the state’s first biogas plant at the beginning of 2022. However, it still plans to construct and deliver two more this year, with a production capacity of up to 1000 kWh each.

“Alagoas Ambiental currently operates two waste treatment facilities in the state: one in the municipality of Pilar (metropolitan region) and another in Craíbas (in the Agreste region). A third facility is in the process of being implemented in the municipality of Delmiro Gouveia (Sertão). Our first electricity generation plant through biogas is located at the Pilar facility. In 2022, two more electricity generation plants will be implanted at the facility in Craíbas, each with a generation capacity of 1000 kWh, and the second generation plant in Pilar”

Marnes Gomes, Operations Manager of Alagoas Ambiental Group in a statement to Uol Notícias (2022)

Companies can join the project and receive a discount of 10% to 12% on their electricity bills, as they become self-generating and have a relationship with the consortium.