In Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne) the company Boyer SA. suppliers of melons, put a bio methane power station into use. Damaged fruit is being used to generate electricity.
The company process 20,000 tons of melons per annum, of which 1,000 tons are unsuitable for selling. Normally speaking these go to a waste processor or are used as fodder.
The new exchange, supplied by the Belgian company GreenWatt, offers the possibility to process this fruit in a different manner. The fruit is dumped into a boiler, which speeds up the rotting process and the methane, which is freed, is collected. The methane is transported to a co-generator, which makes the combined production of electricity and heat possible. The waste residue may be used as compost in organic cultivation.
Boyer estimate that the electricity produced is the same as the consumption of 150 households per annum and the produced heat for 80 households. The produced heat, however, will be used by the power station itself, the electricity will be sold to energy company Edf.
The power station in Moissac, the first of its kind in France, cost about 1.5 million Euro, which was more than half financed by the localand regional governments, the State and Europe.
