City Overview

Xalapa is the capital city of Veracruz. It is located near the geographic center of the state and located next to the only fog forest in the country. It is the second-largest city in the state after the city of Veracruz to the southeast. The project in Xalapa will focus on a waste-to-energy project as the city’s current landfill is managed by a private operator. A 2013 preliminary study by the IDB’s ESCI indicated that the Xalapa has the potential to produce 10-15MW using organic waste as its fuel, potentially decreasing city emissions by 15-20%. The action plan has set three priorities for Xalapa city. Priority 1 is to promote a more efficient, sustainable and environmental friendly motorized and non-motorized mobility in the city and reduce GHG emissions. Priority 2 is to ensure the access to clean water sources, increase the sewage coverage and improve the operations of the water utility. Priority 3 is to ensure that a new landfill is built (the current one is near its capacity). The SCIAP project in Campeche will focus in developed the detailed design, construction and commissioning an innovative biodigester plant in Xalapa for the treatment of the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste of Xalapa. The operation and maintenance of the biodigester plant and the landfill will be headed by the private sector through a concession agreement with the municipality. It is estimated that the plant will receive 200 tons of municipal solid waste daily and will have an installed capacity of 450 kW. The processing of solid waste by the plant will provide the local landfill with 3 additional operating years. Furthermore, throughout its life cycle, the plant will decrease an annual average of 5,127 tons of CO2eq and a total of 56,400 emissions. In addition, the plant will delay for some - 12 - years the expansion of the landfill; lower the costs of electricity for the city and provide 26 ton/day of soil conditioner (considering the production of compost).