The Republic of El Salvador is a country located in the north-east of Central America. The country borders the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras. San Salvador is the country’s capital and largest city, the population of the San Salvador Metropolitan Area averaging 2.1 million people.
The CDM project developed by Biothermica has been designed to proceed in two phases. Phase I involves the design, construction and operation of a landfill gas collection and flaring system at the Nejapa landfill site located 17km north of San Salvador. Phase II consists of the design, construction and operation of a landfill gas power plant for the generation of electricity. The project is registered with the United Nation’s CDM Executive Board (No. 0167) under the following title: Landfill Gas to Energy Facility at the Nejapa Landfill Site, El Salvador.
The Nejapa landfill is receiving municipal solid waste (MSW) from the San Salvador Metropolitan Area based on a 20 years agreement with Mides S.E.M. de CV (Mides), the owner of the landfill. Between 1999 and 2005, close to 3 million tons of MSW have been buried at the Nejapa landfill. Approximately 20 million tons will be buried at this site during its 25 years of existence.
Considering environmental impacts, health and safety issues as well as the site’s energy potential, Biothermica conducted several feasibility studies in 2003, with the aim of minimizing these impacts and assess the potential for developing a LFG-to-Energy facility. Biothermica was subsequently appointed by Mides to realise the development of a LFG collection system and flaring station (Phase I) as well as a landfill gas power plant (Phase II) following an agreement signed to this effect in 2005.
The project results in several environmental benefits, including greenhouse gas emissions reductions as well as the destruction of the odors and pollutants contained in the landfill gas. It also contributes to the sustainable development of the Republic of El Salvador, notably through technological transfer and collaboration with Mides.
The CDM project implementation was carried out in accordance with the planned schedule:
- February 2005 to March 2006: Registration of the project with the United Nations
- May to December 2006: Construction
- February 2007: First trade of certified emissions reductions (CERs)
- April 2008: Sale of the project to an international energy company