BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday inked a pact with Nexband Renewables, a bio-energy firm, for production of biofuel from vegetable waste generated in the capital city.
As per the MoU signed in presence of mayor Sulochana Das, a 150-tonne per day (TPD) compressed biogas (CBG) plant will be set up on the outskirts of the city to generate about 6,000 kg of bio-CNG per day. The fuel will also be automobile-grade.
The CBG plant will also produce solid organic fertiliser of about 16 TPD and liquid organic fertiliser of about 60 TPD to support soil enrichment and sustainable agriculture.
BMC deputy commissioner for sanitation N Ganesh Babu said the CBG plant will be commissioned by Nexband Renewables at Khuntabandha area of Begunia in Khurda. Both vegetable waste and Napier grass will be used for its operation. “The civic body will facilitate collection and supply of vegetable waste from markets, haats and bulk waste generators beginning July 1. Around 50 TPD vegetable waste will be made available, subject to seasonal variation,” he said.
The waste will be segregated at source after which BMC will transport it to designated points where the agency will lift it for processing. The daily markets at Unit-I, Unit-IV and Damana along with the Temporary Transit Station (TTS) near Sainik School have been identified as initial lifting points for the waste.
As per the BMC, the agency will lift, transport and process waste at its own cost and risk. The waste would be lifted within 24 hours to avoid accumulation and public nuisance. The agency has also been asked to process the waste using scientific method and under strict environmental compliance, with no spillage, odour or pollution.
The initiative will significantly reduce the burden on the TTS by diverting biodegradable vegetable waste for scientific processing. It is also expected to clear waste from marketplaces, ensuring better sanitation of those public areas, BMC officials said.
This apart, it will also benefit local farmers by generating additional income opportunities through Napier grass cultivation. The BMC had earlier signed an MoU with Oil India Ltd to set up a CBG plant in Meherpalli area of the city, capable of processing 200 tonne of segregated municipal solid waste.