- EthCo plans to construct a waste to power facility in Malawi.
- The firm aims at reducing the impact of its effluents.
Ethanol Company- EthCo has announced plans to construct a plant to convert waste from its facilities into fertilizer and electricity. This project was made known by Lusubilo Chakaniza, the managing director of EthCo.
According to the announcement, the project involves the construction of a unit dedicated to valorising ethanol waste into fertilizer for agriculture and electricity. The objective is to reduce the impact of its effluents on vegetation and aquatic biodiversity in Malawi. The plant is expected to be completed by December 2022.
The conversion process will involve bio-digestion, evaporation, treatment and drying of the condensate to produce biogas. In a note by Lusubilo Chakaniza, EthCo’s director, “the biogas will generate steam to drive a turbine and produce about 2 MW of electricity, making the plant self-sufficient in electricity.” The vinasse will also be used to produce a potassium-rich granular organic fertilizer that will be bagged in 50 kg bags “to be sold at an affordable price.