Project envisages construction of a plant to transform waste into electrical energy

The interior of São Paulo is already mobilizing to receive the construction of the first energy generation plant from the trash, in an industrial park in Nova Odessa (SP), close to Rodovia Anhanguera (SP-330).

The works await bureaucratic details, but should begin in the second half of 2022, with delivery scheduled for 2025.

With an estimated cost of R$ 500 million, the project – developed by Consimares (Intermunicipal Solid Waste Management Consortium of the Metropolitan Region of Campinas) – includes waste treatment in the municipalities of Nova Odessa, Santa Bárbara d'Oeste, Sumaré, Hortolândia , Capivari, Elias Fausto and Monte Mor.

Together, the seven municipalities produce around 650 tons of garbage every day. This is a volume that could be transformed into energy to supply most of the 960,000 residents.

According to Consimares, the new plant has the capacity to generate up to 160 thousand MWh per year, enough to supply almost half of the energy demand of each of these cities. 

In addition to energy issues, the center also promises to offer sanitary and environmental solutions to municipalities, such as the organization of structure and equipment for sorting waste from selective collection and the inclusion of recyclable collectors in cooperatives and associations. 

Consimares expects that more than 5,000 people will be hired to carry out indirect work and, after the construction works are completed, 200 employees will start working on the operation of the new waste plant. 

Waste production

Brazil produces, every year, almost 80 million tons of waste throughout the national territory, but energy from solid urban waste represents only 0.1% of the entire installed capacity of its energy matrix.

According to mapping by ABREN (Brazilian Association for Energy Recovery from Waste), there is a potential in Brazil to install 120 units generating energy from waste in 28 metropolitan regions with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Data from CCEE (Electric Energy Commercialization Chamber) also reveal that, from January to October this year, 20 urban waste biogas plants generated an average of 119.5 MW to the SIN (National Interconnected System), equivalent to 0.18% of the total generation of all energy sources in the country during the period.