Total Recovery Plant Development
Waste is Energy, Don't Waste it!
Water, energy and food are essential elements for human subsistence, and they are also critical global resources that are intrinsically linked to environmentally sustainable development Rapid population growth and economic development drives a growing demand for resources, which lead to energy, food, water and their intertwined nexus becoming increasingly important.
The main focus of BCF Africa is to Develop Total Waste Recovery plants and the use the resultant energy in the further development of Water and Food resources. BSF Africa leverages the most modern technologies to build commercially viable and sustainable solutions across the spectrum of synergetic areas of Waste, Energy, Water and Food.
Using our understanding of multiple cultural and cultural Western and African business backgrounds in Corporate, Accounting, Finance, Mining, Construction, Procurement and Engineering, our diverse team provides the project management capacity necessary to deliver all stages of the development process, from green grass to commissioning. Having in our portfolio constructed and fully designed plants, our team performs as developers in several projects in multiple countries. We at Bio Carbon Fuels (BCF) Africa have extensive experience in gasification, pyrolysis, high-temperature pyrolysis, sorting and Waste Management.
Turn garbage into clean energy with our state-of-the-art Total Recovery Plant.
Our experience covers working with municipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardous industrial and medical waste. We've using our won patented technology that is robust and the most suitable for all types of waste. We customize our final technical design specifications during the feasibility study. and our long-term relationships with the top professional EPC firms enables us to provide proper estimates of the optimal project configurations. Such estimation is based on the prevailing localized conditions.
Total Waste Recovery Facility development
The Total Recovery Facility plant development starts from identifying stakeholders of the project. and determining the most Commercially viable products for sustainable revenue flows. Given our synergistic approach, the project can optimize production of the following products depending on local and regional demand:
· Sale of the Electricity
· Sale of Bio Fuels (Bio Diesel)
· Sale of Hydrogen
· Sale of Bulk Water
· Sale of Sodium Hypochlorite
· Sale of Food & Produce
· Sale of Aggregate and Ash
· Sale of recovered Metals
· Waste Collection and Tipping fees
Project Development involves identifying the proper governmental structures such as the waste supplier and the off-taker. Two agreements are the cornerstone documents for the project: the Concession Agreement and the PPA (Power Purchase Agreement). The municipality/governate is the party to sign the Concession Agreement. A state-owned power Utility/grid company signs the Power Purchase Agreement.
Total Recovery Project Framework
BCF Africa works to establish the following framework for its projects in Africa:
1. The technical developer (BCF Africa);
2. The investor (The long-term partner);
3. A local partner (Country Dependent).
BCF Africa provides the comprehensive technical and economic analysis and performs market reviews relevant to the project. Further BCF Africa analyzes site location, customizes the technologies for the project and executes the technical part of the feasibility study. We maintain economic calculations by our proprietary financial model, having more than 50 parameters. We the work with our investment partner to execute the financial part of the feasibility study and raise 100% of the investment needed for the project.
The local developer is responsible for getting approvals and maintaining relationships with the governmental structures.
Preparation for the development
Importantly, before launching the feasibility study, we create a detailed Request for Information (RFI). The document counts more than 70 questions to be clarified together with the local developer. RFI includes questions on the geographical location, local regulations, climatic and seismic conditions. We also investigate available pipelines, transportation links, soil stability, underground water resources, ecology requirements and so on. These answers comprise a solid background for making decisions on the technology.
What is a Total Recovery Facility?
A Total Recovery Plant is a facility that accepts organic waste and produces useful products like energy from it with zero emissions. Incineration is NOT used in the facility in any manner at all. Our facility used High Temperature Pyrolysis technology to convert the waste to high-quality fuels like diesel, syngas or oil. The facility can use steam cycle and turbine to produce the electricity and heat. All modern plants have a sophisticated gas cleaning system conforming to the strictest air pollution standards.
What is the most effective type of waste in terms of energy generation?
The economic efficiency of the plant depends on the selected output. We can construct plants providing any possible output: electricity, heat, heating oil, diesel or syngas. The Output type depends on how the configuration is setup, the feedstock and what output products is it optimized to produce. So, the most efficient approach is to produce electricity from MSW and a kind of synthetic fuel from high-energy waste. Plastics and tires are good examples of high energy waste.
Total Recovery Facility development stages
The first stage of the development process for a Total Recovery Facility is the preparation of the feasibility study. The feasibility study represents a thorough document comprising four aspects: market review, technical feasibility, commercial feasibility and financial feasibility. During the market review, our team proposes a fitting selection of technology mixes for the project and take into account the technology’s environmental protection characteristics, global availability, price of the equipment. Additionally, we count the cost of further maintenance and consider the local conditions.
On the technical feasibility step, our experts conduct extensive research utilizing location-specific data. These data include lab evaluation of the regional waste composition aimed at evaluating the energy result of the future plant. The commercial feasibility study includes drafting the Concession Agreement and Power Purchase Agreement. As noted above, these documents are key to the project. BSF Africa finalizes the feasibility study with the financial feasibility part, where our experts update the baseline financial model. Calculations produce financial indicators like IRR based on the parameters as CAPEX, OPEX, annual interest rate, debt/equity ratio etc.
Defining construction partners and providing project supervision
Our feasibility study focuses on bankability, that is why we select a world famous, proven EPC provider to implement our technology. BCF Africa cooperates with equipment producers and EPC providers with a multi-billion-dollar annual turnover. During the feasibility study, we communicate with a selected one and receive a firm commercial proposal including CAPEX and OPEX of the planned plant. The usage of such real data bears weight to our financial model and increases the confidence of banks.
Upon commencement of funding, BCF AFRICA starts to design the project and deploys the TIO (Technical Interface Office) on site. The role of the TIO is to support and supervise the execution of the project, protecting the interests of the shareholders. Finally, TIO supports the commissioning of the plant, which happens after 2 years of the construction period.
What is the operating and maintenance cost of a Total Recovery Facility?
Usually, the operating and maintenance cost of a Total Recovery facilities can be estimated at 3%-7% from plant hard costs (CAPEX).
How much does it cost per ton to generate 1 kWh of electricity at a waste-to-energy plant?
The answer depends on the type of waste, its chemical composition and moisture, which has a heavy influence on plant efficiency. Also, we should take into consideration the technology applied and the total cost of the plant. If we talk about municipal solid waste and incineration in Europe, so waste-to-energy projects there require feed-in-tariff (FIT) and tipping fee (TF). FIT for major countries is 0.12 – 0.14 USD per kWh. Additionally, a tipping fee is required: 80 – 100 USD per ton.
What to think about when designing a WTE plant?
The key factors influencing the Total Recovery Facility design, and the development of Total Recovery Facilities as a whole, are:
· Waste type (municipal solid waste, tires, plastics, wood chips, hazardous industrial or medical waste).
· Amount of waste (ton per annum).
· Desired/possible output (electricity, heat, synthetic fuel of different types).
· Plant location and availability of electric, heat, water pipelines.
· Local legal and ecological requirements. In some countries there are limitations to use a certain technology and this circumstance may turn the whole development process to a different way.
· Consequently, it is important to identify the governmental structures as the waste supplier and the off-taker. Two agreements are the cornerstone documents for the project: the municipal solid waste & the PPA
· The experience and credibility of the EPC company selected. The financial strength and performance bonds provided by the EPC company is a very important factor of project sustainability.
· The experience and credibility of the EPC company selected. The financial strength and performance bonds provided by the EPC company is a very important factor of project sustainability.
Total Recovery Facility business plan
Waste to energy business plan should consider and estimate the commercial and financial feasibility of the project, taking into account all the risks. Such a plan shall be based on the feasibility study and include all the technical, economic, financial assessments performed by a professional company with the proven experience in the industry. You can find a detailed explanation of the feasibility study above in this article.
The business plan for Total Recovery Facility has some essential amendments to the feasibility study findings, containing a more detailed description of the project stakeholders, SPV (Special Project Vehicle) participation, requirements to the O&M (operating and maintenance) company, configuration of the project steering committee and financial projections taken from the feasibility study.
Plants we built
BCF Africa has exceptional experience in the real construction of Total Recovery Facilities. We dealt with Total Recovery Facilities converting municipal solid waste to electricity and heat (and those plants are still under operation). We fully designed and passed expertise, bringing to the ready to build stage, a hazardous medical and biological waste plant and the hazardous industrial waste plant. Additionally, we participated in many projects focused on the processing of tires, plastics, sludge, manure with pyrolysis technology. We know how to get energy from the sun, air and waste. Let’s build a better future for everyone, together!
WHO WE ARE
BCF Africa is a team of international environmentalists, highly qualified engineers, experienced economists and project developers. Unlike many other development companies on the market, we have strong experience in the construction of real WTE and utilization objects
Water Recovery and Development Opportunities
Additional Information
Many parts of Sub Sahara Africa stand out as having some of the water scarcest regions in the world. Moreover, in recent decades agriculture activity has grown exacerbating the pressure on groundwater resources and pumping energy requirements. BCF Africa is focused on developing sustainable solutions that remediate the Waste-water-energy-food Nexus using novel approaches that include capturing, treating and reusing wastewater and water from Waste for irrigation.
Many companies produce both hazardous and non-hazardous wastewater as a result of their manufacturing and production systems. Treatment of this liquid waste requires resources most businesses don’t have in-house, and improper disposal can expose companies to significant liabilities. We build plants that can recycle millions of gallons of wastewater every year. Our treatment process efficiently deals with all types of liquid waste, resulting in salvageable metals and oils, and clean water that can be reused in other operations. or returned to the water cycle.
How Wastewater Becomes Energy
Even as the world’s need for energy keeps increasing, a promising potential energy source is being flushed down our toilets every day. This wastewater, can actually be used to heat homes, provide electricity, and even power cars. Wastewater is water contaminated with human, agricultural, or industrial wastes. While typically seen as a nuisance, the organic matter contained in wastewater from our sewage systems (commonly known as “sludge”) can become a valuable resource with sludge-to-energy systems.
When organic waste decomposes in an oxygen-free environment—such as deep in a landfill —it releases methane gas. This methane can be captured and used to produce energy, instead of being released into the atmosphere. Sewage treatment systems begin treating wastewater by collecting the solid sludge. In a sludge-to-energy system, this sludge then undergoes a pretreatment process called thermal hydrolysis to maximize the amount of methane it can produce. Next, the treated waste enters an anaerobic digester, which finishes breaking it down. The resulting product is a methane-rich gas, or biogas, that can be used for on-site energy needs, or processed further and used in place of natural gas. In addition, the solid remnants of the waste create a nutrient-rich “digestate” that can be added to soil to boost plant growth.
BCF Africa uses the least-cost wastewater treatment technologies and the reuse of treated wastewater/tailwater in agricultural irrigation has shown improvement of groundwater stress, reducing by about 49% water abstractions and groundwater stress levels in the tested scenarios. Furthermore, reuse of wastewater/tailwater decreased dependency on groundwater pumping and the overall energy-for-water requirements, reducing by about 15% the total energy requirements.
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Sludge-to-energy systems tackle many of the world’s most pressing environmental and economic issues simultaneously.
Methane makes up 16 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s extremely potent—about 30 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Sludge-to-energy systems harness this methane for energy instead of letting it escape into the atmosphere, where it would fuel climate change.
Wastewater treatment plants use microorganisms to break down waste. This process produces methane gas as a natural byproduct. This accounts for roughly 16% of the entire planet’s greenhouse gasses. This is traditionally released into the atmosphere or captured for use in other industries. Instead of shipping it off to other facilities, these new systems allow the plant to capture and utilize the methane to generate both heat and electricity. This energy, in turn, gets fed back into the plant to help meet its power needs. Wastewater treatment plant energy efficiency and renewability are crucial, especially when you consider the sheer amount of sludge produced by the industry every year. It’s often a challenge to find safe and eco-friendly ways to dispose of this sludge. Dumping it out into the world creates massively toxic environments, contaminating both water and land. In many countries, upwards of 80% of wastewater sludge gets dumped in landfills or is illegally dumped somewhere else, creating hazardous situations. Sludge-to-energy programs help to reduce the amount of wastewater sludge that gets dumped in landfills while transforming it into eco-friendly Energy and reducing global reliance on fossil fuels.