BRONKHORSPRUIT BIOGAS PLANT (PTY) LTD: NOTICE OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORISATON APPLICATION AND AN AIR EMISSIONS LICENCE VARIATION FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING 4.6MW BRONKHORSTSPRUIT BIOGAS PLANT (“BBP”) TO 9.8MW IN BRONKHORSTSPRUIT, GAUTENG PROVINCE
GDARD REFERENCE: GAUT 002/22-23/E3493
BACKGROUND TO THE PROJECT
Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Plant (Pty) Ltd (“BBP”), owned by Bio2Watt Energy Holdings (Pty) Ltd, is a renewable energy industrial facility. The existing biogas plant capacity generates 4.6 megawatts (“MW”). BBP has been supplying a private offtaker with green electricity since 2015. In 2018, BBP identified the opportunity to increase its power generation to 9.8MW. The upgrade will entail improvements to the original design and will be better positioned to process larger volumes of organic waste more efficiently.
LOCATION OF THE PROJECT
The BBP is situated on the remaining extent of the farm Boschkop 543 JR which is located 18 km south-west of Bronkhorstspruit. The proposed project is situated on the premises of one of South Africa’s largest feedlots. BBP falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in the Gauteng Province.
LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
Procedure applied to the application
The proposed upgrade of the existing Biogas Plant will trigger the following authorisation processes: A Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment (“S&EIA”) is required in compliance with the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (“NEMA”) and the NEMA Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, 2014 (GN R982 of 4 December 2014) (“GN R982”), as amended; and an AEL variation is required in compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004 (Act No. 39 of 2004) (“NEM:AQA”).
Applications submitted to competent authority
The application for an EA was submitted to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (“GDARD”) on 14 June 2023. The application for the AEL variation will be submitted to the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality once the EA is obtained.
Listed activities applied to the application
The listed activities that are being applied for include NEMA Listing Notice 1, Activity 34, Listing Notice 2, Activity 6; and NEM:AQA Subcategory 10: Processing of animal matter.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
South Africans have a right to be informed about potential decisions that may affect them and to be afforded an opportunity to influence those decisions. This advertisement forms part of a Public Participation Process as part of the project. It describes the various components of the project to enable I&APs to get a better understanding of the potential environmental and social impacts that could be expected from the proposed project. It also outlines the process and the opportunities for the public to become involved during the study.
Register as an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP)
You may register as an I&AP. To register as an I&AP of this project, or to obtain more information or submit comments, please request a Registration Form from Shangoni and return it together with any comments to Shangoni by no later than Monday, 14 August 2023 at the details provided below.
Availability of the draft Scoping Report
The draft Scoping Report will be made available to the public for review for a period of 30 days from 14 July 2023 to 14 August 2023 at the following public viewing stations: Bio2Watt (Pty) Ltd, Bronkhorstspruit Community Library, and on the Shangoni’s website (www.shangoni.co.za). E-mail or fax your comments to Shangoni (details provided below) by no later than Monday, 14 August 2023.
Where to obtain more information
To obtain additional information please contact the environmental consultant at the details provided below.
Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP): Shangoni Management Services (Pty) Ltd
Contact person: Sameera Ismail
Tel: 012 807 7036
E-mail: sameera@shangoni.co.za
Fax: 012 807 1014
Postal Address: P. O. Box 74726, Lynnwood Ridge, 0040