Abstracts

103 Infrastructure and Policy Issues The primary driver for developing advanced AD technological infrastructure is for government at all levels to realize the role of waste as an input to create valuable economic outputs through the medium of waste-to-energy technologies. Despite AD’s positive characteristics and features in the field of waste-to-energy technologies, it has not experienced widespread adoption and growth in South Africa for a variety of reasons. A lack of funding opportunities and legislative frameworks that encourage alternative energy sources inhibit the growth of a biogas-based industry (Goemans, 2017). Unfortunately the Waste Act is not well enforced and in any case lacks attention to the technological and infrastructural support needed for advanced technologies such as AD to thrive (Godfrey et al., 2019). AD technology requires collected and source-separated waste, which is accessible only in small quantities in poor urban areas, notably the townships surrounding Johannesburg. A lack of government support in the form of relevant policies and incentives also makes the adoption of the technology unfavorable. To date, South Africa’s government entities have neglected to create well-designed waste collection and disposal service systems to enforce existing policies. Although the lack of physical infrastructure prevents the technology’s implementation and adaptation, there are other important reasons impeding its growth. The abundance of and reliance on coal create market conditions where biogas is not competitive for electrical generation. South Africa’s policy of maintaining its own electricity and gas utilities, with large state- owned enterprises, creates a high barrier to entry for new players to enter the market. This is a major structural issue that must be addressed prior to any adaptation of waste-to- energy–based technologies, including the AD of organic waste. AD technology has characteristics that solve several waste, environmental, and economic-related problems; nevertheless, it has some important structural flaws. First, high capital costs can be an issue when it comes to project type and scale. In the Taka gas project, there was an estimated $4 million in capital expenditure for initial commissioning, with an expected payback period of 20 years. Lengthy payback periods like this are common for large- scale capital-intensive infrastructural projects, but they still can serve as a barrier, especially if private funding is sourced. Furthermore, there is a fundamental risk associated with ensuring that adequate feedstock is procured. Many of these plants need a critical mass of biomass in order to meet production goals. If the waste management infrastructure is not planned and developed correctly, there is no guarantee of success. During the planning stage, project planners must put equal effort into enforcing waste management practices and the technology of biogas production itself. Waste Economics The potential economic impacts related to the implementation of AD technologies in South Africa’s urban areas are vast. This section analyzes the impacts on two levels: first, a discussion of AD technology’s ability to valorize organic waste through the creation of markets, and, second, a study of how the economic value can be directly or indirectly realized by individuals participating in the waste economy. The first part introduces the idea that desired outputs create a strong demand for inputs. Biogas’s applications, or outputs, include electrical generation, heating, industrial applications, and transportation fuel. In addition, the digestate has an agricultural application for fertilizer production. The second part discusses the entrepreneurial opportunities and subsequent employment creation potential that the introduction of AD technology can have on South Africa. Market Considerations Amajority of wastemanagement activities currently practiced in South Africa, particularly in the informal sector, are economically driven. The current perspective forces policy makers to view the act of waste management as an expensive endeavor for municipalities and other stakeholders that are responsible for implementing waste management strategies. This implicitly leads individuals to see waste