Hubballi-Dharwad to produce bio-gas from wet waste

Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation is set to embark on an ambitious project to produce biogas from wet waste, in partnership with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Initial discussions have taken place at the government level to facilitate the implementation of this initiative.

Currently, the municipality generates 150-200 tons of wet waste daily. This waste is primarily processed into compost, which offers minimal revenue. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2, the central government has encouraged oil companies to develop bio-CNG gas from wet waste, leading BPCL to approach the state government to establish a biogas plant. The municipal corporation has been instructed to provide the necessary land for this project.

According to Vijaykumar, the Deputy Commissioner of Hubballi-Dharwad city corporation bio-CNG can be produced exclusively from kitchen waste, which can then be utilized as alternative fuel for vehicles. Implementing this alternative energy source also addresses the pressing waste management issues faced by municipalities under the Swachh Bharat initiative. Previously, a plan was underway to send the dry waste generated in the city to the NTPC facility. Thus, if both projects are executed, it will significantly alleviate the waste accumulation problem.

The company Mustar has submitted a report deeming Hubballi-Dharwad suitable for establishing the bio-CNG plant. The municipality has conducted a comprehensive survey in each ward regarding the kitchen waste collected. The findings indicate that the city can generate 150-200 tons of waste from houses, apartments, hotels, wedding halls, and hostels. A detailed report has already been submitted to BPCL, with GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) showing interest in the project.

Vijaykumar noted that daily, the Hubballi-Dharwad region produces 150-200 tons of wet waste. While dry waste is processed into compost through NTPC, the excess wet waste will be utilized to build a biogas facility with GAIL’s assistance. The municipal corporation has already passed the proposal in its general meeting and submitted it to the government.

The tendering process is currently underway with GAIL, and a biogas plant with a capacity of 200 TPD (tons per day) will be constructed near Shivalli in Hubballi. The municipal corporation has allocated 10 acres of land for this initiative, which will be leased to GAIL for 30 years. GAIL will construct, manage, and utilize the gas generated during this lease period, after which the facility will be transferred back to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.

This project is beneficial for the municipal corporation as the land lease will incur no investment costs, leading to significant savings in waste management expenses, estimated at around 5-6 crore rupees annually. For 30 years, the GAIL company will undertake the operations, and the municipality will only need to be responsible for collecting the wet waste.

This initiative aims to prevent the accumulation of waste in mountainous piles on the city’s outskirts, enhancing the overall waste management strategy in Hubballi-Dharwad.