Paper-making firm unveils Taiwan's largest biogas energy system

Taipei, Oct. 24 (CNA) A paper-making plant in northern Taiwan unveiled Thursday the country's largest biogas production system which, once fully operational in 2020, is expected to supply power to about 10,000 households each year.

The system developed by Yuen Foong Yu Paper Manufacturing Co. based in Hsinwu District, Taoyuan, is made up of three biogas-powered generators that can produce 28,000 cubic meters of biogas daily and provide 3,960KW of power to the electricity grid every day.

Two of the three generators are currently operational, with the third scheduled for completion in Q3 next year, said Yuen Foong Yu Chairman Ho Shou-chuan (何壽川).

According to the company, once the third generator is installed and running at its Hsinwu plant, the system will generate an annual capacity of 32,000MW of electricity and power about 10,000 households.

The effort marks a huge milestone for the company, which was founded in 1924 as a supplier of fertilizers, sugar and grain, Ho said. With new capital investment, Yuen Foong Yu expanded into paper manufacturing in 1950.

The plan for a biogas production system was first conceived in 2014, with the system employed on a trial basis by the company in 2015.

Two of the generators became operational and have been supplying 2,400KW of power on the electricity grid since June this year.

The Hsinwu plant currently employs anaerobic digestion to convert industrial waste into biogas for power generation, the company said, noting that an Indonesian paper-making firm has made inquiries about the technology.