CASE STUDY

Biogas and Power Generation from

Wastewater Treatment
USAID helps bring innovative Treating wastewater is vital to safeguarding the health of communities.
wastewater treatment technologies, What is little known is that the treatment process can also bring economic
including biogas waste-to-energy advantages. Generating cash can ensure the long term sustainability of
systems, to municipalities
wastewater treatment projects. For large scale municipal or agricultural
and agricultural operators throughout
the Philippines projects, generating biogas and the ability to sell carbon credits are
important sources of income that can help recover the costs of
construction.

• Biogas is produced by the fermentation of organic matter including

CASE STUDY
Welissa Farms -- Bantayan, Cebu manure, sewage sludge, and municipal solid waste, under anaerobic
(having no oxygen) conditions. Biogas mainly contains methane and
• Biodigester for wastewater from carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming and climate
6,000 pigs and 800,000 chickens change.
• System built in 2006 -
Carbon credits will pay for system
• Carbon Credits are can be obtained when biogas is captured and not
costs in 5 to 7 years
released to the atmosphere. In exchange for capturing these emissions,
credits are issued as part of an international emissions trading plan.
Polluters from other countries can purchase these credits, which are
sold on the open market.

Two common applications of this technology are for septage treatment

and animal waste treatment. With over 100 million septic tanks
generating countless truckloads of septage, and approximately 5 million
farms generating 10.1 million tons of manure per year, the Philippines has a
Modular Biogas Digester Tanks: large supply of both septage and animal manure. Unfortunately, almost all of
Mixed waste manure is fed into the central zone
of the digester tank, 10 m in diameter and 10 this waste is currently dumped with little or no treatment, or is treated in
m in height, with one-third buried underground. open ditches or ponds that allow the biogas to escape to the atmosphere.
About 2500 cubic meters per day of biogas is
produced, which contains 65% methane and These discharges contaminate surface and groundwater and harm people’s
35% carbon dioxide. health. They also lead directly to global warming and climate change.

There are a number of benefits of biogas to energy wastewater systems:

• The treated wastewater meets government discharge standards
• Provides innovative financing using carbon credits
• Reduces or eliminates odor and groundwater pollution
• Provides employment, generate power
• Reduces reliance on wastewater lagoons and ponds
• Dewater the sludge to produce organic fertilizer for sale
Biogas Collection Tanks:
Biogas from the top of the digesters is fed into gas In the Philippines, C Trade Philippines is partnering with the Philippine
collection tanks or used to run a steam electric
generator, or flared if not used. Anaerobic digestion Sanitation Alliance to promote biogas systems for both septage management
for the pig and poultry wastes takes 15 to 18 days. and the animal waste industry.
Sludge and Water Separator:
Sludge from the bottom of the digester tanks is
fed to a sludge collection system for dewatering.
The supernatant water is fed back to the digester
tank in the top zone. The dried sludge from the
sludge tank is removed for fertilizer production.

Biogas from waste-to-energy:

• Mixing – waste is collected and homogenized

• Digesting -- waste is digested in anaerobic tanks
• Separation – sludge and water are separated
• Biogas generation – gasses are collected in domed reactor tanks
Biogas powered electric power generator: • Power generation – biogas is burned directly as fuel
Collected biogas can be used as fuel to power or used to generate electricity
electric generators (as shown above) or for direct
use in cooking, lighting or heating.

C Trade Philippines Joins

Philippine Sanitation Alliance
C Trade is a renewable energy company that designs, finances, constructs
the development of wastewater treatment projects in the Philippines
to convert sewage, animal slaughterhouse and other wastes to biogas
(methane) to generate electricity and treats the sludge to produce
Photos courtesy Wellisa Farms, Bantayan, Cebu. organic fertilizer.

C Trade develops carbon credits called Certified Emission Reductions

(CER), to fund the project and transfers ownership through a build-
operate-transfer (BOT) scheme using cost recovery payments for electric
power used.

C Trade was established in 1998 as an international developer of

renewable energy projects using solar, wind, biogas and other clean
technologies to produce electricity and carbon credits. Carbon credits
would have no value for trading or selling unless they are properly
For more information contact: registered and certified.
Alan Marchan, General Manager
C Trade Philippines C Trade is providing their expertise in carbon trading to the
602 OMM Citra Bldg Philippine Sanitation Alliance and USAID to help advance
San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center
Pasig City, Philippines
this innovative finance mechanism through education, promotion,
[email protected] demonstration and project implementation.
Tel: (63) 917-885-1314