Taipei's Dihua Wastewater Plant to Generate Biogas Power; Neihu Plant to Install Solar Panels

(Central News Agency reporter Yang Shu-min, Taipei, June 16) The Taipei City Water Engineering Office announced today that the city's daily wastewater treatment capacity will soon exceed 970,000 cubic meters. The Dihua Wastewater Treatment Plant, which processes 500,000 cubic meters per day, will implement biogas power generation. Additionally, the plant will install its own solar photovoltaic systems and assist the Neihu plant in setting up solar power facilities, with completion expected by the end of 2027.

The Department of Public Works' Sanitary Sewerage Engineering Office told CNA that, including facilities currently planned or under construction, the city's total daily wastewater treatment capacity will exceed 970,000 cubic meters. To promote green energy, the "Turnkey Renewable Energy Project for Dihua and Neihu Wastewater Treatment Plants" was announced for bidding in early June, with completion scheduled by December 2027. The total budget is approximately NT$150 million.

Regarding future daily wastewater treatment targets, the Water Engineering Office explained that the Dihua Plant will handle 500,000 cubic meters per day, the Neihu Plant 240,000 cubic meters, the under-construction Binjiang Water Resource Recycling Center 160,000 cubic meters, the Minsheng Water Resource Recycling Center, which began operations in May this year, 40,000 cubic meters, and the planned Shizih Island Water Resource Recycling Center 35,000 cubic meters.

On green energy goals, Water Engineering Office Director Huang Chun stated that the Dihua Plant is Taiwan's largest secondary biological wastewater treatment facility. With a daily processing volume of 500,000 cubic meters, it generates over 8,000 cubic meters of biogas daily, which can be reused. The plant plans to install two 300kW biogas generators, utilize available space for a 400kW solar photovoltaic system, and assist the Neihu Plant in adding a 230kW solar system. Once completed, the two plants are expected to provide a stable annual power output of approximately 2.15 million kWh.

In terms of carbon reduction benefits, Dihua Plant Director Huang Tai-tsung stated that the two plants will achieve an annual carbon reduction of about 914 metric tons, equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of 2.3 Daan Forest Parks (387 tons).

Additionally, the Water Engineering Office noted that the under-construction Binjiang Water Resource Recycling Center is currently being evaluated by a consulting firm for anaerobic digestion, with the potential to use the generated biogas on-site. Meanwhile, due to limited space, the Neihu Plant transports its treated sludge via pipeline to the Dihua Plant for processing, and thus only implements solar photovoltaic systems. (Edited by Li Hsi-chang) 1150616