The status and future of methane destruction projects in Mexico

Abstract

Of the Clean Development Mechanism projects that exist in Mexico, methane destruction projects from hog farms dominate the landscape with 56% of the projects developed and 49% of the Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) that will be generated within the country by 2012. These biodigesters, however, have experienced many technical difficulties that place their future viability and continued development in question. Because of these challenges, future methane capture in the country may focus around other agro industries or landfills.

Environmental implications of anaerobic digestion for manure management in dairy farms in Mexico: a life cycle perspective

“…In Mexico, the research and development of these technologies is in a period of latency compared with European and Asian countries such as China and India. [70] A detailed analysis of the limitations, problems and prospects of power-generation projects using biogas from anaerobic digesters can be found in [66,71].…”

Pig pandemic: Industrial hog farming in eastern Mexico

“…For example, for most hog producers, paying wastewater fines (US$600-40,000; Speir et al, 2003) is far cheaper than the purchasing costs associated with advanced wastewater treatment systems. There is also little incentive to acquire biodigester equipment for methane capture ($150,000-500,000;Lokey, 2009). This bodes poorly for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects involving methane destruction on hog farms in Mexico, which represent 56% of the country's CDM projects and 49% of Mexico's projected emissions reductions by 2012 (Lokey, 2009).…”

“…There is also little incentive to acquire biodigester equipment for methane capture ($150,000-500,000;Lokey, 2009). This bodes poorly for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects involving methane destruction on hog farms in Mexico, which represent 56% of the country's CDM projects and 49% of Mexico's projected emissions reductions by 2012 (Lokey, 2009). At the regional level, standards for construction and operating permits and public notice vary, but there are currently no limits on the size, geographic concentration, and location of hog CAFOs.…”

The status and future of methane destruction projects in Mexico

“…According to an Ag Cert engineer, the gas cannot be sent to both devices simultaneously [2]. Despite these doubts about electrical generation, the farmers at many of the Ag Cert farms are planning on buying generators themselves to make use of the methane and eliminate their electricity bills [18].…”

“…This incentive supposedly pays half of the first cost of a generator. Sorroco Romera Sanchez's farmers have begun taking advantage of this law by benefiting from the government purchasing the first of three generators the company bought [8] and [18]. If the use of this incentive became widespread, then financial additionality would become difficult to prove.…”