Zero-waste system plans to produce renewable energy and food for Tonga [1]
Thursday, November 23, 2023 - 17:18. Updated on Friday, November 24, 2023 - 12:55.
By Katalina Siasau
Tonga Circular Economy System (Tonga CES) aims to develop a zero-waste system, that might potentially provide Tonga with renewable energy, and food - such as poultry and corn.
The system has three important components to it, which are energy, cropping, and protein. Those three components are mutually dependent, which will make the system works in a circular motion, to make possible a zero-waste system, thus, no component will go to waste, the CEO for the Ministry of Agriculture Food & Forest (MAFF), Dr. Viliami Manu showed in a presentation
Dr Manu who is also the Chair for Tonga CES, with Coordinator Tsutomu Nakao II, presented an overview and recap for Tonga CES, at a media briefing, yesterday afternoon, at MAFF conference room.
Tonga CES
Tonga CES conceptual planning was approved by Cabinet on 17 July, 2020.
Tonga CES team includes the Government of Tonga; MAFF, MEIDECC; Energy Division, Tonga Power Limited (TPL), Agriculture Sector Growth Committee (ASGC), Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry (TCCI), Agrotop (from Israel), and FWE Energy Solutions (from Germany).
Zero-waste
In simpler explanation, they said maize grain and silage goes into the feed mill, which will process and produce poultry feed. Residue from the feed mill then goes back to the maize as fertilizer. All organic residues and poultry wastes goes to the biogas plant, producing renewable energy. With 100% local material in 100% local renewable energy invested.
Meanwhile, farmers can earn an income from selling corn. Poultry can be produced locally and therefore, reduce the cost from high imports, and also reduce dependent on imports for poultry, and fertilizer.
Tonga CES plan, should determine if it is “technically and commercially viable, environmentally responsible, and clearly in Tonga’s national interest.”
“It is important to consider the outcome from this system, that would be energy, crop, and protein,” said Dr Manu.
Biogas
“One of the first steps towards Tonga CES is developing a biogas plant. Tonga Power and FWE have signed a contract in July 2022, planning a 500kW biogas plant, as a starting point.”
Biogas is a renewable fuel that's produced when organic matter, such as food or animal waste, is broken down in a process called anaerobic digestion.
Tonga CES plan to use weeds (includes weeds from abandoned homes), maize (grain and silage), and poultry manure. Firstly, Tonga Power needs to find out how much biogas energy can be produced from those components, and if they can able to commercialise biogas energy, in the meantime, farmers to get an income in the process.
A fundamental goal for Tonga CES, is intending to replace 50% of electric energy, with renewable energy.
Predicting that will be a success, Tonga Power then, can able to supply Tonga's LPG gas, from there, is also a vision where Tonga Power can focus on transport energy, transforming gas cars to electric cars.
Maize
A 500 hectare is targeted for the farming of maize, and trials will commence on March - June of next year. Local farmers has a chance to plant an allocated area or however much they can plant.
In the meantime, planning is in progress, focusing on approach, scale, and optimisation of cropping models by a Crop Planning Team and international grain experts, wtih oversight by Crop Steering Group.
Poultry
Dr Manu said it was important to first consider that the feed mill can operate here in Tonga, and could feed the breeder farm. Feed mills machines produces the animal feeds, including those consumed by livestock and poultry animals and companion animals.
Tonga CES plans for the feed mill to start at a production of 3,000 metric tonnes poultry feed.
However, the feed mill cost is $7 million, in which has been passed to the government Cabinet.
The poultry industry were detailed planned by Agrotop, in which Cabinet has approved, and have been passed on to the Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Public Enterprise for thorough examination and recommendation.
Next Steps
Meanwhile, a biogas lab from FWe has arrived in Tonga. The next event would be the FWE CEO & Director, research and development, scheduled to arrive in Tonga on 4 December, to commission the Biogas Lab.
MAFF appointments made for Leads on Substrate supply, pending for Biogas Lab Operation and Tonga CES Liaison.
Agrotop is a leading global player in livestock turnkey projects, with its HQ in Israel. They provide a full range of services for realising livestock and agro-industry construction projects.
FWE is a manufacturing and engineering company based and registered in Bensheim, Germany and in Iraq. FWE specialises in project development in the field of renewable energies.