Oman launches first dairy waste-to-energy biogas project
Mazoon Dairy Company (MDC), based in Oman, has opened a biogas plant - the first of its kind in the region. MDC is the country’s newest dairy farm, covering more than 15km2 with significant housing, feed and fodder mixing and storage facilities, a milking parlour, veterinary facilities, a processing and packaging plant, sales and logistics facilities and a waste treatment facility.
According to a report by the World Biogas Association, the plant forms part of MDC’s plans to use waste-to-energy to boost the efficiency of waste management. It is the first time that a dairy farm in the region has adopted clean technology at this scale. By 2028, the farm aims to have the capacity to yield more than 270 million litres of milk every year, establishing Oman as a net exporter of dairy products in the next 20 years, said WBA.
The launch of the plant was attended by Dr Hamad Bin Saeed Al-Aufi, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in Oman and the board of directors, the Times of Oman reported. Yousuf bin Khamis Al-Fazari, corporate affairs manager, said: “Mazoon Dairy is committed to adopting environmentally-friendly solutions through waste management, and we are so proud to inaugurate the first biogas plant in the region using cow waste.
“The biogas plant will be used to produce methane gas that will be used to operate equipment at the plant, with plans to power even more of the plant with the increased herd in the future. The first phase of the project will include 12,000 cows that are expected to produce about 225 tonnes of fertiliser per day.”
Engineer Hazza bin Abdullah Al Yahya added: “The farm currently includes 16 barns equipped with a special pond to collect cow waste, which will be transported through special containers to the biogas plant on a daily basis.
“As the number of cows at the farm increases, the plant will reduce its reliance on fossil fuel needed to operate some facilities. This will vastly contribute to managing waste produced by daily operations and drive up operational efficiency.”
According to a report by the World Biogas Association, the plant forms part of MDC’s plans to use waste-to-energy to boost the efficiency of waste management. It is the first time that a dairy farm in the region has adopted clean technology at this scale. By 2028, the farm aims to have the capacity to yield more than 270 million litres of milk every year, establishing Oman as a net exporter of dairy products in the next 20 years, said WBA.
The launch of the plant was attended by Dr Hamad Bin Saeed Al-Aufi, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in Oman and the board of directors, the Times of Oman reported. Yousuf bin Khamis Al-Fazari, corporate affairs manager, said: “Mazoon Dairy is committed to adopting environmentally-friendly solutions through waste management, and we are so proud to inaugurate the first biogas plant in the region using cow waste.
“The biogas plant will be used to produce methane gas that will be used to operate equipment at the plant, with plans to power even more of the plant with the increased herd in the future. The first phase of the project will include 12,000 cows that are expected to produce about 225 tonnes of fertiliser per day.”
Engineer Hazza bin Abdullah Al Yahya added: “The farm currently includes 16 barns equipped with a special pond to collect cow waste, which will be transported through special containers to the biogas plant on a daily basis.
“As the number of cows at the farm increases, the plant will reduce its reliance on fossil fuel needed to operate some facilities. This will vastly contribute to managing waste produced by daily operations and drive up operational efficiency.”
