“Creating Wealth from Organic Waste: A Success
Story of Biogas to Power Project set up by Pune
Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra”
Pune Municipal Corporation has taken a remarkable step in developing a segregated
municipal solid waste biomethanation projects those serves not only in generating
power but also helps in the organising and disposal of waste in the city.
In today’s energy deficit world, where conventional sources of energy are fast
depleting and at a time when recycling and optimum utilisation of resources is the
need of the hour, the city of Pune is setting an example through its biomethanation
plants. It is a known fact that, municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in Pune is
among the highest in Indian cities with an average of 350-450 gms (with 40% organic
matter) of waste generated per capita per day. Pune’s current population is >40 lakh
and the city generates about 1300-1400 metric tonnes of MSW per day. The source
wise broad composition of solid waste generated in the city can be broadly classified
as : commercial - 25%; market area - 5%; hotels and restaurants - 25%; and vegetable
market - 5%; household - 40%. What’s interesting is that the organic and
biodegradable portion of the solid waste is 70 per cent which is a significant
consideration in the concept of solid waste management. The basic idea behind
setting up a biomethanation plant was to treat the organic waste in a decentralised
manner, at its source, in the most environmentally efficient way. This helps the PMC
save on transportation costs of such wastes to the landfill site which is 22 km away
from the model colony area.
Table 1: Expected biogas, electricity and manure generation
S.N. Parameters Specifications
i) Plant capacity 1X5 TPD per day segregated organic
biodegradable municipal solid waste
ii) Type of process Biomethanation through two stage
process
iii) Biogas generation 300 Cum/day
iv) Electricity generation 375 kW/day
v) Manure generation 500 kg/day (on 50 per cent moisture basis)
MEDA’s Initiative:-
The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) is constantly striving
to promote decentralised biomethanation cum power generation plants in
Maharashtra in urban as well as rural areas. As a part of its initiative, an official visit
of Dr. A. R. Shukla, Advisor, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE),
along with MEDA officials, to the Model colony plant, was arranged on 20th
February, 2010. Post this visit, it was decided that all such decentralised biogas
plants in urban areas ought to be considered for Central Finance Assistance (CFA)
under the Biogas based Power Generation Programme (BPGP) of the MNRE, to
boost the promotion of such projects. The PMC has installed 11 such biogas to power
generation plants at various locations in Pune and is planning to set up many more
such projects in the city.
Biomethanation Process:-
A major portion (40-60 per cent) of this waste is organic in nature and can be
easily treated by anaerobic digestion. The solid wastes generated in urban areas from
vegetable markets, hotels, hostels, kitchen wastes etc. are best suited for this process
due to the high moisture content and organic fractions (up to 90 per cent). The total
solids in the organic waste decompose rapidly (i.e. are highly putrescible) and
therefore these wastes can be treated by the biomethanation process, more
commonly called anaerobic digestion. The biomethanation plant at Model Colony is
based on the two-stage anaerobic process. The sizes of the digesters for the first stage
and the second stage are decided on the basis of the suspended organic contents of
the slurry to be treated. The first stage fermentation is the hydrolysis stage and the
second is the methanation and polishing stage. The first stage is designed to give
maximum solid retention time for the hydrolysis and the second stage for
acidification and biomethanation process operate in the mesophilic range. In this
process, the wet waste generated within the model colony area (from household
kitchens, commercial complexes, hotels/restaurants, fruit and vegetable markets wet
wastes etc.) is collected and brought to the plant site by the PMC. Though, it is
segregated wet waste, it still contains 2-5 per cent non-biodegradable material, such
as plastics, glass, metal etc. All such material is removed manually in the first stage,
known as ‘fine segregation’. Thereafter, the segregated wet waste is mixed with
water in 1:1 proportion and crushed in the shredder to convert it into slurry, before
being fed to the primary digester. The slurry is then treated in closed vessels called
anaerobic digesters (primary and secondary digesters) where, in the absence of
oxygen, micro organisms break down the organic matter into a stable residue, and
generate a methane-rich biogas in the process. The generated biogas is cleaned with
the help of scrubbers. In the scrubbing process, moisture, hydrogen sulphide and to
a certain extent carbon dioxide are brought to an acceptable level and then the
purified biogas is stored in a biogas balloon, made up of neoprene rubber. The
purified biogas is then supplied to a 40 kVA indigenised biogas engine (run on 100
per cent biogas) to generate electricity. The solid residue which remains after
biomethanation process comprising of solid/fibrous material and liquid, is
separated in the slurry drying beds. About 50 per cent of the liquid manure is then
re-circulated in to the system, as it contains nitrogen and some active anaerobic
micro-organisms. The fibre contains an organic material, which is being used as
manure for the PMC’s public gardens.
The solid wastes generated in urban areas from vegetable markets, hotels,
hostels, kitchen wastes etc. are best suited for this process due to their high
moisture content and organic fractions (up to 90 per cent).
Project Components:-
The project includes the following sections:
• Waste reception and fine segregation section
• Mechanical crushers - 2 nos. of 5 HP (horse power)
• Two stage anaerobic reactors – 200 m3. In building-block methodology (BBM)
- with aeration, biogas & leachate recirculation facility
• Manure handling section - 35 sq. m in BBM
• Biogas collection section - 2 nos of 75 cubic metre each in neoprene rubber
with enclosure
• Biogas cleaning system - CO2 and H2S scrubbers, pressure vessel & vacuum
pump.
• Power generation - 40 kVA, 100 per cent biogas based I Indian engine.
• Recirculation system.
• Solar water heating system - 500 lt/day
Advantages:-
Apart from the fact that the biogas produced is effective in reducing harmful
greenhouse gas emissions, the compact design of the plant makes it convenient for
use and utilises less footprint area. The treatment of organic solid waste is done in a
closed vessel hence there is no odour and organic matter is recycled to generate
nutrient-rich manure.
1. Present Economics of the Plant (Till 31st July 2015)
1 Total Inputs
1.1 Total Wet waste fed to the plant 9877 Tones
2 Total Outputs
2.1 Electricity Fed to the Street Lights 129000 kWh (Units) + We
(With 15 KW Load and 151Street operate biogas engine during
Lights) day time as well to generate
electricity, which is being
used for carrying out feeding
operations.
2.2 Total Manure Generated 700 Tones
3 Total Savings
3.1 Savings due to Electricity 165500 kWh X 5.50 Rs./kWh
Generation = Rs. 9.07 Lakhs
3.2 Savings due to Manure Generation 700 Tones X Rs.1200 Rs./Tone
= Rs. 8.40 Lakhs
3.3 Savings in Transportation of wet 9877 Tones X Rs. 650
waste to the landfill site Rs./Tone
= Rs. 64.20 Lakhs
PMC is currently spending @
Rs.1300 per ton to collect,
transport and to dump the
waste at Devachi Urli Landfill
site. Even if, it is considered
that due to this plant they are
going to save at least 50% of
the transportation cost.
3.4 Total Savings (3.1+3.2+3.3) Rs. 81.67 Lakhs
4 O&M Cost for 63 Months Rs. 36.60 Lakhs
5 Total Savings in 69 months Rs. 45.00 Lakhs
6 Capital Cost of the Project Rs. 60.00 Lakhs
7 Subsidy form MNRE Rs. 12.00 Lakhs
9 PMC Share Rs. 48.00 Lakhs
10 Payback period with the current Less than 6 years from the
performance / economics date of commissioning of the
plant.
Indirect Benefits:-
Indirectly too, the benefits for the PMC are many. Apart from providing better
hygienic conditions to the citizens of Pune, the plant will go a long way in increasing
the operational life of existing sanitary landfill. It will help avoid the release of
methane gas (from uncontrolled open dumping at landfill sites) into the atmosphere,
which can cause serious environmental damages. In other words it stalls the release
of 180 cubic metre of methane (which is 22 times more potent than CO2) per day into
the atmosphere. Further it reduces the release of CO2 since there is a reduction in the
use of transportation fuel.
Present Status:-
The biomethanation plant has been operational since November 2009. The connected
electricity load is 22 kW and 250 street lights (mix of 70 / 100 / 250 W lights) in the
Model Colony area are illuminating for 10-11 hours daily. As of 31st July, 2015, the
biogas engine had generated 129000 kWh of electricity.
