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• Travel and Tourism
• national
• Business and Economy
• 04 / 03 / 2010

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The Rum Mulata factory in central Villa Clara province saves two tonnes of diesel daily by replacing them with seven cubic meters of biogas in an effort to reduce pollution and save hard currency.

The factory is located in the Heriberto Duquesne Sugar Company, and has a boiler that generates 12 tons of steam per hour from burning oil and biogas together, said Alfredo Gonzalez, specialist from the Agriculture Ministry in this province.

A high-tech mix burner, unique of its kind in the area combine both fluids without emissions to the atmosphere, he added.

The organic gas represents 30 percent of the fuel mixture, and is achieved by the daily contribution of about 900 cubic meters of vinasse, from the distillation of alcohol, and more than 450 tonnes of liquid waste from the sugar production process, he added.

These actions are part of a program to minimize the dumping of pollutants to the environment, with proper treatment that allows to give them different uses, told ACN news agency Garí Carlos Campos, chief technologist of the entity.

The biogas plant has a generating capacity amounting to some 16 000 cubic meters daily, which should be achieved upon completion of repairs on the hood of one of the reactors, he added.

This investment has already reduced the emission of pollutants to the environment in about 200 cubic meters per day, which are treated in two oxidation ponds for their use in the irrigation of crops, he said.

Source: Cubasi