Brazil’s plant to turn orange waste into biogas
In Brazil's São Paulo State, a major agricultural company is transforming the waste generated by orange juice production into renewable energy. The 2.1-million-square-foot plant, being built by Louis Dreyfus Company near its Bebedouro facility, will process an hourly flow of 13,770 to 14,125 cubic feet of raw effluent. At full operation, the plant could produce over 1.77 million cubic feet of biogas daily, or roughly 247 million cubic feet annually.
This project, anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026, would be the largest of its kind globally, setting a new standard for industrial waste management.
The plant will primarily utilize wastewater collected from orange washing and juice extraction. This effluent, rich in dissolved sugars, organic acids, and other organic materials, typically poses a disposal challenge. However, the biogas plant will leverage this organic-rich wastewater as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion, converting it into fuel for the company's own industrial operations.
The biogas generated will undergo processing to become biomethane before being used at the adjacent juice factory to replace natural gas for heating purposes. This switch is expected to reduce the factory's direct carbon emissions by over 20% and significantly lower fuel costs, offering both environmental and economic benefits. The development of a specialized microbial mixture capable of tolerating the acidic nature of citrus wastewater and its compounds like limonene and antimicrobial oils from peels is crucial for the biogas production process.
Once the biogas is produced, it undergoes cleaning to remove moisture and hydrogen sulfide, making it suitable for use in the factory's boilers. Additionally, the project addresses water waste by treating the wastewater from orange processing. Pilot testing has exceeded baseline organic-load reduction targets by 15%, indicating the technology's potential for reliable industrial-scale operation.
The treated wastewater can then be safely discharged, preventing it from remaining as highly polluted industrial effluent. Moreover, the leftover solids from the biogas production process can be further processed into nutrient-rich biosolids, which can be utilized as organic fertilizer by local farmers, creating a sustainable closed-loop system.
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