asiaBIOGAS researched numerous types of digester technologies, before deciding upon a system that would be efficient at methane gas recovery and wastewater treatment while also being extremely cost-effective to operate. In many of its projects asiaBIOGAS employs the Covered In Ground Anaerobic Reactor or ‘CIGAR™’ which is ideal for wastewater streams in the tropics.  

With its flexible cover system the CIGAR™ is that kind of system -  efficient at methane gas recovery and wastewater treatment and easy to operate.  Traditional tank digester systems are quite the opposite, with lower methane recovery with higher capital and operating cost structures.  

The CIGAR™ is the elegant yet simple solution for organic wastewater treatment in the tropics.  In the last seven years more than 40 anaerobic digestion plants have been developed successfully. asiaBIOGAS provided design, engineering, construction and commissioning for these reactors. These systems have a solid history of successful wastewater treatment, with over 95% of BOD and 85% of COD removed. This has led to significant biogas offtake, with enough methane gas to operate power plants 24 hours a day, or as needed.

As most biogas systems only provide a minimal amount of biogas, the asiaBIOGAS CIGAR™ system enables clients to:

• Reduce reliance on traditional fossil fuels
• Reduce reliance on grid fed electricity
• Lower energy costs
• Improve waste water quality
• Reduce release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere

asiaBIOGAS has also adapted the CIGAR to human sewage and is now implementing the first CIGAR for the major water company, Manila Water Co, a unit of famed land developer, Ayala Land Corporation.

asiaBIOGAS’ system of adapting the CIGAR technology to leachate from food waste at dump sites or certified sanitary landfills is now being implemented on a pilot scale at the second largest city, Cebu City, in early 2007.