Cofco Guangxi
Wastewater from bioethanol production is additional source of green energy
Cofco is a leading grain, oils and foodstuff import and export group. It is one of the largest food manufacturers in China. Its division Guangxi Cofco Bio-energy Ltd produces ethanol from cassava. This generates wastewater with a high concentration of organic pollutants.
Paques helped devise a total solution for the treatment of wastewater, including pre-treatment, anaerobic treatment, anoxic/oxic secondary treatment and polishing. Paques installed two BIOPAQ®IC bioreactors with a volume of 3,400 m3 each to reduce operational costs and to generate energy with the biogas produced from wastewater treatment. When COFCO expanded its capacity, Paques also installed a BIOPAQ®AFR with a volume of 28,000 m3. This allows them to treat the whole stillage including the solids.
The wastewater treatment attracted attention from the Environmental Protection Administration. The project is located in the Beihai tourist area and has become a national demonstration project for the production of biofuel from non-food crops.
