Green light for waste to energy project

Reliance, an organic compost provider in the Western Cape, has received the green light for the R250 million Waste to Energy project at Corona Farm in the Paarl region. All appeals against the project have been dismissed by authorities, giving the final go-ahead to the first of its kind project. Not only will this project generate energy from organic waste, but it will directly and indirectly create over
1 000 jobs, save landfill space and carbon emissions, as well as see depleted agricultural soils being rebuilt to high humus soils. Further to the biogas plant, Corona Farm will be divided into separate commercial units, with one unit for the Waste to Energy project, and the rest of the units for new sustainable organic farms, with the focus on ownership for young entrepreneurs, primarily from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Five of these units have already been developed with plantings of table- and wine grapes, as well as citrus. Pictured right, is the composting in action.