Before the end of the first quarter of next year, streetlights in five corporations and 24 municipalities in the State would be powered by electricity generated by bio-methanation-cum-power plants.
The corporations that will get the plants are Tiruchy, Tirupur, Erode, Salem and Tirunelveli. Municipalities that will benefit are Hosur, Kancheepuram, Thanjavur, Dindigul, Rajapalayam and Nagarcoil, Kumbakonam, Pallipalayam, Poonamallee, Mettur, Avadi, Cuddalore, Pallavaram, Tiruvannamalai, Karur, Udagamandlam, Pollachi Palani, Thiruthani, Thiruchengode, Nagapattinam, Mettupalayam, Gobi Chettipalayam and Kayalpattinam.
The government’s `27 crore project would use bio-degradable municipal solid waste (MSW) to generate electricity, besides making the environment clean.
Following the successful implementation of the bio-gas plant at the Arcot Municipality that has been lighting up over 250 streetlights through power generated from the unit, the State government had decided to establish similar units to use organic waste to generate electricity.
The municipal administration department, following the nod from the government for the project, has envisaged 10, 5 and 3 MT plants in 29 urban local bodies during the fiscal year of 2013-2014. “The Government has sanctioned `27 crore for this project. Tenders will be floated by next week,” Yadav said.
“It is also aimed at reducing electricity bills by converting bulk organic waste from hotels, market, slaughter houses and marriage halls into electricity,” he noted.
For instance, 250 to 300 cubic metre of bio-gas would be generated in a five metric tonne plant per day. Using the bio-gas, a generator would be operated to produce 420-440 units per day. The plant would also generate 15 tonnes of organic manure per month. Urban local bodies could save `9.24 lakh from the electricity bill and also generate revenue of `5.25 by selling the organic manure at `3 per kilogram.