As part of a German government supported develoPPP project “Capacity building of technicians on the construction, maintenance and safe handling of biogas plants in the Philippines”, the German- Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI), biogas technology provider Lipp GmbH, and the German Biogas Association conducted a comprehensive biogas plant safety training according to German Safety Rules this April 5 to 7.
The safety of the workers overseeing the daily operation of the plants on-site is a number one priority. “Biogas plants are very safe, especially with the German technology that is applied here in South Cotabato," says Michael Koettner, CEO of the International Biogas and Bioenergy Centre of Competence (IBBK) and certified trainer in the Biogas Safety Training Network of the German Biogas Association. He reminds the 55 participants from Dole Philippines, MetPower Ventures, and the Department of Energy, "If accidents happen, they are usually caused by system failures which can be avoided with regular preventive maintenance of equipment and a good understanding of the biological process of anaerobic digestion of organic waste.”
GPCCI member company MetPower Ventures, a subsidiary of the Metro Pacific Group, built two industrial scale biogas plants in Mindanao for pineapple producer Dole Philippines under a Build- Own-Transfer (BOT) setup. The two plants in Surallah and Polomolok, South Cotabato use the Lipp biogas digester technology and have a combined capacity to produce 5.7 megawatt of clean energy per year. The energy generated powers Dole’s canning operations.
“By converting its pineapple waste to energy, Dole can reduce 49,648 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually,” says Mr. Ditmar Gorges, Managing Director of MetPower Ventures.
“We are proud to locally manage this project for Lipp GmbH,” says Mr. Christopher Zimmer, Executive Director of GPCCI. “We believe German technology can help fast-track the Philippines’ efforts to develop renewable energy sources from waste,” he adds.
The biogas industry started in Germany in the 70’s in a quest to find alternative energy sources in the face of increasing energy demand and prices. Today, with over 11,000 biogas plants and 5,800 MW installed electric capacity, Germany generates about 60% of all the biogas produced in Europe. This makes Germany a leader in biogas technology development and experience.
The 3-year capacity building project has three main components: 1) training Filipino biogas plant technicians on the construction, maintenance and safe handling of German technology biogas plants, 2) localizing biogas knowledge through partnerships with local universities, and 3) establishing a biogas yield testing laboratory to support the biogas industry in the country.
This develoPPP project is 50% co-financed by the German Investment Corporation (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft – DEG) through public funds of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
GPCCI belongs to the international network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs) that is represented by 140 offices in 92 countries. GPCCI is the official representation of German businesses in the Philippines; a bilateral membership organization with around 300 members; and a service provider to companies in their market entry and expansion.