Bio2Watt Energy Holdings (Pty) Ltd (BEH) proposes to install an organic waste-to-energy biogas plant at Sunderland Ridge in Centurion, City of Tshwane, Gauteng Province. The plant will process organic waste (from agriculture and the food industry) to produce biogas and digestate. The digestate will be sold for use as a soil enhancer/fertiliser and the biogas will be converted to electricity and fed into the national grid, and compressed and sold to an off taker.
To meet investor requirements, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment process is currently being undertaken in fulfilment of South African legislation as well as the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability.
BEH appointed SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SRK) as the independent Environmental Assessment Practitioner for the project. An integrated application for Environmental Authorisation (EA) is being applied for in terms of Section 24L of NEMA from Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (GDARDE).
• In terms of the latest amendments to the 2014 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (published 07 April 2017), in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), an application for EA via a Scoping and Environmental Impact Reporting (S&EIR) process is required. The Competent Authority for this application is the GDARDE.
• A Waste Management Licence (WML) is required in terms of the 2017 List of Waste Management Activities that have, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the environment, promulgated in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act No. 59 of 2008), as amended. The application will take place through the S&EIR process. In terms of Section 24L NEMA, an integrated application for EA are being applied for an Integrated Application for Environmental Authorisation is being applied for.
• A Water Use Licence Application (WULA) is being undertaken in terms of the National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998) for submission and approval from the Department of Water and Sanitation. Section 21(a): abstraction of water from a borehole, 21 (c) and (i): Road, pipeline and powerline watercourse crossings, and 21 (g): Effluent dams containing digestate, clean and dirty stormwater detention ponds and septic tank and soakaway water uses are being applied for.
• An Atmospheric Emissions Licence (AEL) is to be applied for in terms of Section 21 of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) from the City of Tshwane. A Category 10: Animal Matter Processing listed activity is triggered.
