Del Monte Uses Pineapple Waste To Create Renewable Energy

Del Monte Philippines, Inc. and Global Water Engineering have teamed up to use pineapple waste to create renewable energy.

A wastewater treatment plant was installed at the Cagayan de Oro pineapple canning factory in the Philippines to remove 93 percent of pollution in the water, according to Beverage Daily. Through the removal process, enough renewable energy (methane-rich biogas) is produced to power two 1.4-megawatt generators.

The "waste-to-energy" system will allow the Del Monte plant to replace fossil fuels with a consistent supply of green energy.

"The DMPI plant has exceeded its high environmental goals by treating more than13,000 cubic metres a day of wastewater, or nearly five million cubic metres a year," Jean-Pierre Ombregt, the CEO of Global Water Engineering, told Beverage Daily.

"In terms of the positive environmental impact and the virtually free electricity gains going straight to the bottom line, this is an exemplary project for food, beverage and agribusiness processors worldwide."