Agroaldea
It's the first treatment plant EU biomass-fueled.
The Southeast Commonwealth begins to realize the project of biogas generation from plants of Cactus for the energy supply of the sewage station in the Southeast.
This morning half a hectare was the symbolic act of the first tunera plantation in the first, It will soon be 13, on land that the Commonwealth possesses in the Arinaga industrial estate and where the sewage treatment plant and the headquarters of the supra-municipal organization.
The Act was attended by mayors from Agüimes, Ingenuity and Saint Lucia, Oscar Hernandez, Juan Diaz and Dunia González, respectively, municipalities that make up the Association of Southeast. The President of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, the Rector of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Jose Regidor, and a broad representation of local and island politicians, as well as entrepreneurs.
In his speech, Antonio Morales, He said feel very proud by being invited to this Act of putting up the plantation to generate biomass, whose germ emerged being still Mayor of Dublin. “One comes from here, comes from the Southeast, This project of Commonwealth”, the President said.
In addition, Morales revealed the innovative spirit of the Commonwealth that throughout its history and due to the need, He knew how to take advantage of the excellent climatic conditions for the generation of energy.
As an example he referred to this project of biomass which said: “It could be an alternative to the gas that we want to impose", and he insisted on the idea of the creation of a consortium involved with all the city councils of the island to democratize energy.
Morales said the realization, In brief, a Conference on geothermal energy to meet and discuss this system of generation of energy that could be also operated on the island.
[quote]The first treatment plant of the European Union fed exclusively from biomass may be disconnected from the power supply in just one year.[/quote]
The President took the opportunity to ratify the support of the Cabildo to the Commonwealth and the commitment of its Government to, in conjunction with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias (ITC), enhance the sectors related to r & d and renewable energy, as a way to reduce energy dependence on fossil fuels island and as an alternative to the generation of employment.
Antonio Morales stressed that a dozen of hotels, as the Cordial, they are already committed to biomass, What has brought them to gain security and save up to 40 percent in the energy bill.
The Chairman of the Commonwealth and Mayor of Dublin, Oscar Hernandez, He explained that this project is one more piece of work being developed by the entity in the search for alternatives for the generation of clean energy, as well as in water purification, or the recovery of waste and recycling, among others.
After the presentation, was the symbolic act of planting of several stalks of tunera, It will soon be plants, political representatives, in a few half-hectare extension wasteland surrounding Commonwealth facilities.
Lands that have previously been treated and paid with the rest vegetables and compost from the remains of pruning of each of the municipalities.
In October, the agricultural land will be expanded throughout the Southeast, always in soils that do not reduce agricultural activity, until you reach the 13 total hectares required to produce biomass that will feed to the sewage treatment plant of Southeast, with the aim of making the independent water cycle energy.
The plantations, they need very little water, they will be watered by the surplus of purified water to, currently and in its absence of demand, they are dumped to the sea through a submarine outfall
Will take advantage of the existing facilities for the digestion of sludge from water purification, you are now in the environmental complex the jump of the black, for the intake of prickly pears and their processing.
These plants are native to the Southeast and new species that can be invasive and damage are not introduced to native flora. This first planting is expected will be ready for its transformation into spring.
The investment to develop the system for energy production, including crops, amounts to some 400.000 EUR.
It is estimated that energy production will be of 2,2 Kw-h million per year, in this first phase, to feed a part of WWTP, producing more than the 30 % of the total energy consumed by this installation.
Subsequently, may be extended in stages until reaching the 8 Kw-h million, that will allow to supply the total energy currently consumes the wastewater treatment plant and it will serve to stabilize the system of renewable energy for the water cycle to the full, joining also wind and photovoltaic energy.
Last year the Southeast WWTP consumed 7 millions of Kw-h at a cost of 600.000 EUR. They they debugged 5,6 millions of cubic meters of water. The tertiary in the Southeast, transforming water regenerated in quality very similar to the drinking water, for agricultural irrigation, had a production of 1,85 millions of cubic meters.