New business opportunities at a Thai palm oil plantation

With the right levels of alkalinity, it’s possible to use wastewater sludge as a powerful source of renewable energy. Biogas is created through a process of anaerobic digestion, which can convert organic matter such as that found in wastewater sludge into biogas which can be used to produce electricity. To do this effectively, it is essential to manage alkalinity and control the pH levels of the material.

Calix has completed a two-month trial of ACTI-Mag in a Thai palm oil plantation, in one of three parallel biogas plants. The trial has already yielded a 28 per cent increase in gas volume and an increase in the quality and stability of methane production to between 60 and 65 per cent of biogas. The trial is now being extended to the whole mill. There are more than 780 such mills in South East Asia, representing a significant opportunity for Calix in the region.