Five biogas plants - capable of producing about 100 kg of organic manure and generate up to 100 units of electricity or two to three 14.6 kg cylinders of methane fuel gas from every tonne of biodegradable waste, using ‘Nisargruna’ technology developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), are in various stages of construction in Chennai and Tuticorin.
While these units with a capacity of three tonne each were coming up in Otteri, Velangadu near Anna Nagar and Athipattu in Ambattur, a one-tonne unit and a three-tonne unit are under construction at SBI Colony and Cruzpuram in Tuticorin, senior scientist in the Department of Atomic Energy’s Technical Coordination Wing J. Daniel Chellappa said.
“About 90 per cent of the work is complete in Otteri, which would be inaugurated in a month; about 70 per cent work is complete in Anna Nagar. Work at the Athipattu unit would commence soon after. The work in Tuticorin is also progressing well,” he said.
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The biphasic ‘Nisargruna’ biomethanation technology developed by Mumbai-based BARC, can convert the biodegradable waste into manure and energy within 19 days while the conventional biogas plants would take about 40 days. About 200 such biogas units have been implemented across the country.
One such biogas plant was set up recently at Kurudampalayam near Coimbatore for District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). “The unit is being used as community kitchen. The food waste collected from the area is being used to produce biogas for the unit,” he said.
Another two-tonne unit functioning at Pulianthope in Chennai is energising the street lights in the area and a four-tonne unit is in operation at a private company located along the Old Mamallapuram Road.
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Three units to come up in
Chennai and
two in
Tuticorin