Composting facility in Lavigny
Project
Composting facility generating compost and biogas.
Project owner
Germanier Ecorecyclage SA
Initial situation
Germanier Ecorecyclage SA has been operating the regional composting facility of Lavigny since 1992, with a capacity of 5'000 to 8'000 tonnes per year. Organic waste is often unfit for incineration, but composting accompanied by gas capture makes it possible to generate energy from it.
Due to Klimarappen
The project includes the construction of an enclosed collection point for feedstock, thus avoiding odour emissions. Once foreign matter has been removed, the feedstock is delivered to the fermentation reactor, where microorganisms transform it into compost and biogas – a process which takes place at temperatures of 55 to 60 °C over 15 to 20 days. The biogas with a methane percentage of around 55% is purified and refined to natural gas quality to be used in gas-powered vehicles. The compost is used as fertiliser. The company will now ferment 16'000 tonnes of organic waste every year, producing an estimated 940'000 m3 of biogas which can be used as a substitute for natural gas to power vehicles. The Foundation's contribution amounts to around 1.3 million Swiss Francs.
Savings
Over the period 2007 to 2012, CO2 emissions can thus be reduced by 10'300 tonnes.
