Ghana’s quest to improve sustainable solid waste management has received a boost following an agreement between the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and Marc David Green Solutions (MDGS/MDPower LLC) of the United States of America, to construct a waste-to-energy plant at the new industrial enclave at Dawa in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region.
Marc David Green Solutions is an energy consultant company that sells the newest available answers to the growing global waste issues. Ghana’s new project will be the company’s first in West Africa when completed in about two years.
The USD70 million project to be financed by the MDGS will be the first Waste-to-energy plant for waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd., a subsidiary of the JGC.
The feat was achieved after a thorough research and feasibility studies by the African Environmental Sanitation Consult (AfES), a subsidiary of the JGC mainly into environmental research and the US partner.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between JGC and (MDGS/MDPower LLC) has subsequently been signed by the two parties in Accra to cement the foundation of the new partnership. The brief ceremony took place on Saturday May 15, 2021.
The Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong and Mr. Mark Boswell signed for JGC and MDGS/MDP respectively.
Game Changer project
Addressing journalists after signing the MoU, Dr Agyepong said, waste to energy technology was a game-changer for sustainable waste management systems in many of the advanced countries.
“Today we want to take a bold step into adding this technology to our value chain to enhance our vision of becoming a fully integrated waste management company based on sustainable waste management principles with minimal impact on public health and the environment,” he said.
According to Dr. Agyepong, waste to energy technology when implemented, will help the country to sustainably manage 100 per cent of the different waste streams generated, adding that many countries that were approaching zero waste have incorporated waste to energy technologies in their waste management system.
“We can talk of USA, Germany, and Austria to mention but a few.
Developing countries like India, Malaysia and China have also introduced such technologies in their waste management systems,” he stated.
He added that waste to energy technologies was efficient, particularly for waste, “comprising high energy materials like plastics, paper, wood which currently form about 40 per cent of the waste stream.”
According to Dr Agyepong, strategic partnership is one of the pillars of JGC, stressing that …we are happy to add Marc David Green Solutions (MDGS/MD Power from the United States of America to our family of partners specifically in the area of waste to energy.”
Dr. Agyepong observed that attracting such partnerships had been difficult in the past. “However, that has changed with the introduction of the Sanitation and Pollution Levy (SPL) by the government in the 2021 Budget Statement.
The SPL is 10 pesewas on the price per liter of petrol/diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA). It is a fund set that will be used to support initiatives and management of environmental sanitation in the country.
Currently, Ghana is estimated to produce 15,000 tons of waste daily. The construction of the Waste-to-energy plant with the capacity to treat between 500 to 1,000 tons of waste a day in addition to the 16 regional compost and waste treatment facilities currently being constructed by Zoomlion Ghana Ltd would be able to resolve all the waste management challenges in a an efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable manner, Dr Agyepong explained.
He expressed confidence that the partnership with the US company would lead to the successful transfer of technology as done in the area of collection, transfer, recycling and composting.
Dr. Agyepong commended the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for what he described as his “sterling leadership” contributing to a lot of development in the environmental sanitation space.
“The setting up of the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and the recent Sanitation and Pollution Levy has been a major boost to the sector and thus encouraging private sector to continue to play a key role in government’s vision of providing sustainable development,” he stated.
The President of MDGS/MD Power, USA, Mr. Mark Boswell, who was accompanied by the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Jordan Boswell, said he was elated at their partnership with JGC, and that they were very impressed with the work that Zoomlion has done so far in the sanitation sector.
“We have visited the sites that you have and we are very impressed with the work that Zoomlion has done so far and we look forward to working with you,” he stated.
He indicated that their partnership with Zoomlion would inure to the benefit of the country.
“…our countries working together is very important for the United States of America to work with these countries to bring in some of these technologies to help them, he said.
The energy to waste technology, Mr. Boswell said, was worldwide, stating that the technology was in countries including Russia and Vietnam.
He said his company, was very excited to partner Zoomlion who has stood out in Ghana’s sanitation sector.
About the plant
Many households in Ghana do not sort out their solid waste prior to collection. All types of waste including plastics, organic, bottles and paper are lump into one dustbin.
The Rotary Kiln Gasification Plant, which MDGS is expected to install in the coming months is however designed to treat mixed streams of waste without presorting.
It will be built with the capacity to treat between 15 to 30 megawatts per day of electricity.
