Turning pineapple wastewater into renewable energy sources

The project involved replacing the existing aerobic coal-fired plant with a new anaerobic treatment facility. The new plant, using the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBR) system, treats wastewater from the pineapple washing and processing to lower the contaminant levels.  

The gas produced during the treatment is captured and used to power new combined heat and power engines, generating electricity with an expected peak output of up to 5MW. Arup, leveraging its rich experience in wastewater process plants, provided project management and site supervision services to ensure the facility was delivered with high quality and on schedule. 

During the project, we identified insufficient seismic considerations in the original design and therefore asked the Design & Build contractor to revise the reinforcement arrangements to meet the local design code. On the site, we identified improvement opportunities and worked closely with the contractor’s site team to best deliver the required work within the required schedule. 

We also advised DMPI on the selection of specialist suppliers and co-ordinated their inputs with those from the main contractor. Our co-ordination ensured all parties focused on the interfaces, avoiding any gaps.  This project has transformed the client’s approach to energy and wastewater management by adopting a renewable, cost-efficient, and reliable system, significantly boosting sustainability and operational efficiency.