U.S firm proposes $305m waste-to-energy plants for Fiji landfills

An American company has proposed building three waste-to-energy plants at Fiji’s existing landfills, offering 19 megawatts of power without burning rubbish.

Infinite Power Clean Energy PTE LTD (IPC), a Fiji-registered company, submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on Monday, pitching it as a cleaner alternative to the proposed $1.4 billion incineration plant at Vuda-Saweni.

IPC founder and chief executive Robert Beam said his technology converts waste into electricity through a three-step process:

1. Sorting and pressing waste into pellets;
2. Heating them into synthetic gas, and;
3. Running that gas through generators – with no open flames, no smoke, and no burning.

"IPC's position is straightforward: Fiji does not need an incinerator on the heritage coast," Mr Beam said.

The three proposed plants would be built at or near the Naboro landfill in Suva, the Vunato landfill in Lautoka, and the Labasa waste site on Vanua Levu.

The total investment is estimated at USD $138 million which is roughly FJD $305 million.

IPC says it is not asking for any government or EFL funding. It is only requesting a waste supply contract and a power purchase agreement with Energy Fiji Limited to buy the electricity produced.

The company says more than 375 jobs would be created across the three sites.

The plants which are fully enclosed buildings where waste trucks drive in, unload, and exit – would be invisible from public roads.

The submission was also addressed to Ministry's Permanent Secretary Sivendra Michael, who confirmed receiving it but said the company would need to follow due process.

"Yes, but they need to go through the process, just like any proponents," Mr Michael said.

The submission comes as the 21-day public review period for the Vuda-Saweni EIA closed yesterday.

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