BMC produces energy from bio-waste

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s efforts to produce energy from biological waste have finally borne fruit. In the past 40 days, 1,000 units of energy have been generated after daily treating 7,000-8,000 kg of biological waste.

According to civic officials, from March 5 the plant has started producing daily 400-500 cubic metres of methane gas by treating 7,000-8,000 kg biological waste. By using the gas, about 40 units of energy per day is being produced by a high-power generator.“The maximum capacity of the plant is to treat daily 15,000 kg of biological waste.

Once it starts operating fully, it can produce daily 75 units of energy. Keeping in mind the rise in biological waste at Deonar abattoir during festival days, it is also proposed to construct another 5,000 kg plant in the vicinity. This would bring the total capacity of treating biological waste to 20,000 kg,” said Dr Yogesh Shetye, general director of Deonar abattoir.

In December 2014, the BMC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to set up a 20 metric tonne (MT) biomethanation plant on the Deonar abattoir premises on pilot basis. This was necessitated after the National Green Tribunal had ordered the abattoir to cease slaughter of all animals for export after activities at the slaughterhouse were found to ‘violate environmental norms.’

Biomethanation is a process by which organic material is microbiologically converted under anaerobic (relating to or requiring an absence of free oxygen) conditions to biogas.

“The energy produced in the plant is will be used for abattoir, which will save its expenditure on power. The energy will be used in running electronic gadgets in the abattoir. Along with power generation, the waste used in the plant is converted into biological manure. It will also help BMC to earn revenues,” said a civic official.