Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu
An increasing burden for the city, Palu municipality in Central Suluwesi is making efforts to use its garbage to produce methane, an alternative fuel source.
To realize the program the local administration, through PT Palu Cipta Metana, has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT Global Eko Rescue Foundation Ltd. in Jakarta.
"By our plans the project will commence at the end of the year or early next year," Palu Deputy Mayor Suardin Suebo told The Jakarta Post at Kawatuna subdistrict garbage dump in East Palu, on Monday.
Suardin said the company would build 40 gas wells around the site to collect methane.
The wells, each 15 meters deep, are expected to produce some 395,000 cubic meters of gas annually.
Palu city's 630 cubic meters of trash a day is believed to produce tons of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and oxygen every day.
"The city will raise an estimated US$1.2 billion annually from carbon trade using the methane," Suardin said.
Major cities in Indonesia produce, on average, 10 million tons of garbage annually, with a total methane output of 404 million tons a year. This methane could be used to generate some 79 megawatts of electricity, he said.
Suardin said the total income from carbon trading could amount to up to Rp 118 billion (US$13.1 million) a year.
Income from methane production used for power generation could reach Rp 162 billion a year, and an equal amount from carbon trade, he said.
Suardin said the methane produced at the Kawatuna garbage dump was estimated to be able to generate 2,780,000 kilowatt hours (KWH) of electricity annually.
Assuming a single 450W-capacity household uses electricity for 24 hours, it would use around 10.8 KWH per day, or 3,942 KWH annually.
"Thus, we can meet the power needs ... for 705 households in Palu... Palu could earn some Rp 96.8 billion annually from electricity. This is what I call making cash from trash," Suardin said.
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