The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has announced the launching of its first biomass system through its Impress Project.

The Ministry made the announcement on Wednesday through a post on the official Facebook page of the Impress Project.

The project was undertaken by the Bio Energy Solution Technology Limited at a cost of $98,000 courtesy of the Global Environment Facility (G.E.F.) and the United Nations Development Programme (U.N.D.P.).

Its funding is through a joint financing arrangement with the Government of Samoa through the water and sanitation sector as well as the support of the relevant Government Ministries within the energy sector.

The biogas system was set up for the Sa'asa'ai community and uses wastes from piggery and cattle farms as well as food scraps to generate biogas for cooking and lighting purposes. The project was developed as a pilot project to encourage sustainable energy developments within communities and households in Samoa.

It is expected that the project will lead to sustainable benefits to communities such as reducing expenses and people becoming dependent on liquid petroleum gas. 

One of the project’s objectives is also to create job opportunities for the local people, collect waste to feed the digesters, and assist Samoa reach its national goals in terms of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and an improvement in onsite waste management practices.

It is understood the community of Sa'asa'ai also supported and contributed to the development of the Saasaai biogas project.

The announcement of the biomass system at Sa'asa'ai comes close to four months after the then Government unveiled its first Afolau 750 kilowatt biomass gasification plant in an $11.3 million investment that was hailed as a major step on the country’s journey to renewable energy transition. 

The Afolau project was funded by the G.E.F. through the UNDP and the European Union as well as the Germany’s Agency of International Cooperation. The project was implemented by the M.N.R.E., Ministry of Finance, Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C.) and S.T.E.C.