In the face of a growing energy crisis and surging global waste generation, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) plans to utilize waste-to-energy technology as a renewable energy source in the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone, in line with its goal of fostering smart and sustainable development.
The BCDA is conducting a study for a proposed waste-to-energy facility in an optimal location in Tarlac, which is being eyed to boost power supply and serve the requirements of locators and investors in Clark. This was after the BCDA identified waste-to-energy as a sustainable alternative to landfills, especially amid the continuous increase in waste generated in the country and around the globe.
“The BCDA is committed to adopting smart and green innovations to push for the sustainable development of our properties. Utilizing waste-to-energy technology, in particular, will modernize solid waste management and promote green energy, helping usher Clark’s transition towards a circular economy,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang said.
According to the World Bank’s 2018 study, “What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050,” global annual waste generation is projected to jump to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050. Carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions from solid waste treatment and disposal, primarily driven by open dumps and landfills without gas collection systems, reached 1.6 billion tonnes in 2016, and is anticipated to increase to 2.6 billion tonnes by 2050.
“With waste-to-energy technology, the BCDA can do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while also addressing the energy requirements of our community,” Engr. Bingcang said.
The BCDA’s waste-to-energy study will include site selection, as well as technical, environmental, social, legal, financial, and economic analysis for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.
Once the study is completed, the BCDA will open the project for public bidding. The project is intended to be structured and undertaken pursuant to Republic Act 11966 or the Public Private Partnership Code of the Philippines and its implementing rules and regulations.
The waste-to-energy project is in line with the Marcos administration’s thrust to bolster solid waste management initiatives in the country. It will also complement the government’s Kalinisan sa Bagong Pilipinas Program, which calls for investment in programs, projects, and activities on solid waste management and ecological practices.