Farm waste under anaerobic conditions is used to make bio-gas, Bio-gas is created by a biochemical process in which bacteria convert bio wastes to usable bio-gas. Bio-gas is a mixture of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane (55%), and hydrogen sulphide gases that arise from biological processes. But the type of Conventional Digesters Model followed by farmers commonly is not suitable for treating organic solid waste.
As per UN nearly 40% of the food produced in India is wasted or lost which costs India around one lakh crore rupees every year. This produce has either been lost by poor supply chain management or lack of buyers which later end as landfill and creates a sanitation issue, in order to overcome these issues and turn waste into wealth a bio gas plant was built near the premise of a market, in Bowenpally, which turned into a national sensation and was also mentioned PM Modi in Mann ki Baat.
India produces large percentage of bio degradable waste that could be transformed into bio manures, bio gas and electricity.
Presently, organic waste such as MSW, sewage sludge, poultry litter, cattle manure etc are used in an Anaerobic Gas Lift Reactor.
Anaerobic gas lift reactor (AGR):
It is a high-rate anaerobic digester for the generation of biogas and bio manure from food waste, this technology is meant for scientific treatment and disposal of organic waste through the generation of renewable energy in the form of biogas and bio-manure. It is an environmentally benign method for the reduction of GHG’s also. Scale of operation can be done at 500 kg to 10 tons per day.
Salient Features of the Project
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Scientific waste management
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Waste management at source
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Generation of off grid power for decentralized applications
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Opportunity for the municipalities to treat MSW in a timely, safe and remunerative mode. Encouragement to off-set electrical load partly or fully to off-grid sources of power generation.
Bowenpally bio gas plant
This is a waste into wealth initiative. The market introduced a biogas plant that can treat 10 tons of waste and produce 400-500 units of power which can be compared to 30 kgs of LPG a day. Since its deployment, the biogas plant has converted 1,400 tons of market and vegetable waste into 34,000 cubic meters of biogas which has provided 32,000 units of power. In addition 600 kg of LPG has been replaced and around 700 kiloliters of bio compost were delivered from the plant to farms.
How the Power Generated from Bowenpally Plant is Utilised?
The power from the Bowenpally bio gas plant is provided to over 100 streetlamps, 170 stalls, administrative office and the market's water supply organization. The biofuel is siphoned into the market's flask kitchen. Therefore, the normal power bill of the Agricultural Market Committee has reduced, from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh a month. Five different business sectors in the city are currently hoping to follow the Bowenpally model.
The success of the Bowenpally biogas plant drove the DBT to start five projects in Hyderabad. The plant utilizes 'anaerobic gas lift reactor' innovation, licensed by the IICT, to create methane-rich biogas and supplement rich bio-excrement. To start the cycle of biomethanation, vegetable waste is shredded and then the destroyed waste is then converted over into slurry, which is then placed into huge compartments or pits to begin the interaction of anaerobic assimilation.
Outcome of the Project
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Generation of 750 m cube/day of biogas (825 units of power) from 10 tons of OFMSW per day (TPD) and 2.5 m cube /day of leachate
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Demonstration of decentralized model of treatment of MSW and leachate
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Reduction in the cost of waste management borne by municipalities.
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Employment generation to run and operate biogas power plants
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Intangible environmental benefits such as reduction of GHG’s by means of renewable energy replacing conventional energy and fossil fuels.
Challenges
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High initial investment cost, Lack of financing mechanism, Longer ROI’s
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Competition from other fuels and technologies/uses
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Poor quality of feedstock; Lack of waste storage and treatment, Lack of co-ordination between central and state governments, low private player involvement facilities, limited urban municipal capabilities
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Lack of awareness about the policies, technologies and its benefits
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Mindset of people
Solutions to overcome the Challenges
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Conducting awareness programs
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Implementing biogas plants to replace LPG consumption
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Proper financing mechanism initiative by the government by providing subsidies and encouraging PPP projects
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