A water company is piloting a scheme to transform waste orange fruits into a form of biogas to produce energy, which could help to power the EDAR Copero Wastewater Treatment Plant in the region.

EMASESA is aiming to achieve energy self-sufficiency by collecting oranges that have fallen on roadside or due to be thrown away, extracting the juice for the generation of electric energy through biogas, and then composting the waste peels to be transformed into fertiliser and reused in the fields.

The process is expected to generate about 1,500 kWh, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of 150 homes.