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As South Africa grapples with the skyrocketing numbers of unemployment, the Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape, has seen the creation of 1000 jobs in the launch of the first-of-its-kind mobile biochar plant.
Biochar is made in the same manner as charcoal, but it is intended for utilization as an absorbent and/or a soil amendment.
The plant, launched with the support of Hive Energy in Humansdorp will enhance water security while reversing land degradation.
The plant is also set to produce up to 20 tons of sustainable and commercially viable high-grade biochar per day from biomass obtained from Alien Invasive Vegetation (AIV) growing in the area.
The biochar will be distributed nationally and internationally.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Horatio Hendrick said local businesses had an opportunity to benefit from the investment.
He said this was in line with their plans of becoming the country’s leading bio-economy zone.
Brad Ker-Fox, Managing Director of Hive Carbon, said the operation would help reduce the terrible fires and massive carbon emissions Alien Vegetation propagates.
