MEET ARIANA
In Sierra Leone as in many other developing countries, the citizens struggle with waste collection best practices.
In 2013, Sierra Leoneans excitedly welcomed the services of Masada , a waste management company with aspirations to convert waste to energy. Since then, the company has become a household name in handling waste management issues and supporting the waste management ecosystem, working towards monetising and adding immense value to the city’s waste.
In 2015, Masada entered into a partnership with Dutch Company, The Waste Transformer to form the JV, The Masada Waste Transformers, to develop and implement a waste to energy project that will unlock the potential of biogas in Sierra Leone by converting the city’s organic waste into electricity, compost and heat.
In anticipation towards the deployment of the first waste to energy digester in the city, the partners conducted a 3 day training program with Masada operations employees and other waste collection companies and youth groups engaged in waste management.
The first digester, which is the pilot for the full project, is expected to be deployed and functioning in Aberdeen Freetown by early third (3rd) quarter this year and will be strategically placed at the Aberdeen’s women centre to provide much needed affordable alternative power and heat for hot water to that center. The full project, when implemented, will have a tremendous impact on the city- as 40 of these digesters will be placed across the city and processing approximately 100 tons of organic waste per day and generating a total of 2 megawatts of power and high quality nutrient rich compost that can be used for urban farming in the city.
PICTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESS BRIEFING
As we hope for the first ever, small-scale, waste-to-energy, anaerobic digester in Freetown, The Masada Waste Transformers JV initiated training programmes and information sessions, in Freetown, to train Masada’s operational staff as well as youth groups engaged in waste picking activities, in collection, sorting and feeding techniques as well as new forms of cooperation. An information point will also be available for the people of Freetown.
The project titled “Turning Waste into Opportunity for Socially Inclusive Growth” and Unlocking the potential of Biogas in Sierra Leone will be a game changer to the City of Freetown. In this project (to be rolled out over a number of years) organic waste will be transformed into energy, onsite. The solution tackles sanitation issues onsite, allows communities, schools, and hospitals to turn their waste to value. This is done in modular, proprietary, small scale anaerobic digestion (AD) installations housed in shipping containers that make financial sense.
Over a number of years, Masada will roll out forty, small-scale installations at strategic points all over the city. These points were already identified and assessed during the feasibility phase of the project. Together they will provide an integrated solution for at least 30% of the waste of Freetown. The waste will be turned into energy and as a by-product, a high grade natural fertilizer will be created, providing employment and encouraging urban agriculture. The very first demonstration unit will be up and running in July 2019 and will be strategically placed at the Aberdeen Women’s Clinic. This pre-launch event is in anticipation of the arrival of the first installation.
This is good news for entrepreneurs like me here in Abuja-Nigeria, where I hope to replicate this kind of partnership with The Waste Transformers. I am closely monitoring the progress of the Masada Waste Transformers joint venture business.