An application was submitted to the Project Preparation Facility (PPF) of the Green Climate Fund in order to enable Belize to develop and implement a bio-mass energy project, utilizing an indigenous fast growing C3 perennial rhizomatous grass – Arundo donax. These Funds will be used to finance a Feasibility Study, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, a Stakeholder Analysis; and a Gender Study. These preliminary studies would contribute to the development of a full proposal seeking the support of the GCF for a commercial scale managed cultivation of the Arundo donax on marginal lands in Belize.  

The proposed concept is consistent with The Government of Belize’s (GOB) objective of expanding the utilization of biomass to meet some of the country’s energy needs and achieve the dual aim of reducing the country’s carbon footprint and adapting to climate change impacts. The GoB has requested the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre to spearhead the effort to analyze and determine a suitable and sustainable way forward for addressing the energy needs of the country.

In pursuit of that overarching objective this project aims to initially introduce a new high energy crop as a supplementary fuel for generation of electricity in Belize. Based on the outcome of the preliminary exercises, large-scale cultivation on a commercial basis for ongoing use and for expanded use elsewhere could be pursued.

A successful fossil fuel displacement project, albeit partial in scope, will represent significant progress towards Belize realizing its goals of becoming energy self-sufficient. Developing a commercial renewable enterprise based on the use of Arundo donax could bring significant benefits to Belize and the Caribbean. The immediate benefits would be to stabilize power production from BELCOGEN, provide clean sustainable power throughout the year, create new jobs in the cultivation of Arundo donax, save foreign exchange by displacing imported Mexican power, increase energy security, reduce Belize’s  greenhouse gas emissions and reduce BEL’s cost of power.

The project will be implemented during a 15-month period, and total cost is estimated at US $739,700.00, with the GCF providing US $ 694,000.00

Activities to be undertaken

 The project comprises of two components:

In Component 1 – the Funding Proposal Preparation will assess the merit and fundability of the concept through the conduct of the following:-

  1. A Feasibility Study focusing on the Technical, Financial and Economic feasibility of the concept as well as proposed operational and funding models that results in a sustainable project:
  2. A Stakeholder Analysis and preparation of a Stakeholder Management and Engagement Plan, which will identify the stakeholders, and actions to engage these stakeholders, pertinent to the successful implementation and sustainability of the project.
  3. A Gender Study and preparation of a Gender Action Plan, designed to mainstream gender consideration into the funding proposal and implementation of the project as well as ensure that women and children will benefit from the implementation of this project.
  4. An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and development of an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP), which will:
    1. identify all potential environmental and social impacts of the project and measures to prevent, minimize, mitigate or compensate for adverse environmental and/or social impacts;
    2. assess the legislative and regulatory environment;
    3. identify appropriate institutional/organizational arrangements for this renewable energy initiative on a sustainable basis;
    4. survey of the commercial interest from the sugar industry and other pertinent third parties
    5. investigate and present findings for PPP investment options in the underlying project and for the long-term sustainability of the investment
    6. describe the nature and number of beneficiaries potentially affected by the proposed project; and
    7. opportunities, risk and concerns/issues related to the proposed project.

Component 2 addresses the conduct of Compatibility Test to assess the viability and compatibility of the fuel produced from Arundo donax fuel with the co-generation plant owned and operated by BELCOGEN in Orange Walk, Belize. The technical compatibility of the fuel with BELCOGEN’s co-generating equipment is to be determined through the actual use of the desiccated and shredded grass in the facility’s feeder systems and furnace over a period of time, while monitoring the facility’s performance. This is an indispensable requirement for verifying the feasibility of the undertaking.  During the assessment, the facility’s performance will be closely monitored.

Other preparatory initiatives include an initial compatibility test conducted in January 2017 following a request from the Company for shredded material which was delivered to the factory in November 2016. Some nine (9) tonnes were delivered, and the company introduced this amount to the furnace to determine whether it would support or sustain combustion during one of the maintenance periods.  During this test, combustion was maintained but it was concluded that the amount utilized, was too small and was consumed too quickly to determine the impact on steam pressure and other parameters monitored during the operation of the furnace.

The Arundo donax to be used in the BELCOGEN facility must be delivered dried and shredded. The initial supply of the bio-mass material for compatibility testing will be harvested from natural stands occurring along the Monkey, Sittee, and North Stann Creek Rivers, where the plant grows in dense but small stands.  The harvesting of the wild cane for this test will be done in a manner to avoid any environmental impacts/damages. This will be assured by ensuring that the harvesting takes place no closer than 66 feet from the highwater level of the rivers (the size of the buffer zone required by the Government). The harvested site will re-grow within a year and the 5Cs will comply with any additional requirement listed in the permit provided by the Government. Harvesting will be done manually rather than using heavy equipment thereby averting any environmental damage.

Project preparation has also had the benefit of contributions by two interns from The UWi-CERMES programme. In 2016, one Master’s Degree candidate did his thesis paper on “The suitability of wild cane (Arundo donax) as a potential supplement to bagasse for electricity cogeneration in Belize”, and in 2018, another Master’ degree candidate also focused his thesis on “Assessing the viability of Arundo donax (Wild Cane) as a potential source of green energy for electricity cogeneration in Belize.”

Arundo donax Project Overview- Forrest Smartt

Project Deliverables: