Philippines: Methane Recovery and Combustion with Renewable Energy Generation from Anaerobic Animal Manure Management Systems

Context

Waste from swine farms is highly polluting, often contaminating water sources and producing an unpleasant smell. In the Philippines, many small pig farms allow wastewater to drain into open air lagoons. As the manure in these lagoons decomposes, it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that contributes to climate change. In 2004, the government passed the Philippine Clean Water Act in an effort to modernize and transform the waste sector. This also created an enabling environment for adoption of non-mandatory low GHG emitting technologies such as biodigesters.

Program Overview

The Carbon Partnership Facility, in partnership with the Land Bank Philippines, is using results-based climate finance to help pig farmers in the country to adopt wastewater methane recovery systems, replacing the open lagoon systems. The waste produced from the participating farms is treated in an enclosed anaerobic system that prevents the release of methane. The methane is then flared and/or combusted for electricity generation. These recovery systems capture and combust methane gas, generating electricity and a sludge that can be used for fertilizer. Further, the electricity generated from the combustion offsets electricity from the grid that is often sourced from fossil fuels.

Results

Currently, the program has helped 25 piggery farmers to install recovery systems and reduced emissions by approximately 20,000 tons of CO2 to date. The program is expected to generate a total of 153,911 certified emissions reductions (CERs) in the remaining crediting period. The program is a good example of how climate finance can be used to further investment from local banks to reduce emissions and help local farmers implement improvements to their operations. The program provided upfront financing for participating entities to make investments in methane capture and electricity generation technologies. The program’s financial incentive stemming from carbon revenues and electricity generation, in addition to the benefits for local communities, also sparked interest from piggery associations and individual pig farms driven by the Bureau of Animal Industry.. Potential future carbon payments incentivized the farms and associations to join the program, but electricity generation was equally incentivizing because of the immediate availability of revenue.

Program Documents