A bio-gas plant that would use the bio-degradable waste generated in the Delhi Secretariat to provide gas to its canteen was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday as part of the Akshay Urja Diwas (renewable energy day) celebrations.
Ms. Dikshit said harnessing renewable energy is a must for Delhi as it would help in decreasing its pollution load. She also stressed the need for sensitising the citizens towards their duty of contribution to make Delhi a cleaner and better place to live in.
The Chief Minister said according to the wind resource assessment data available for the country, Delhi does not have the potential to harness wind and hence the only possible renewable energy options left to it are solar and waste .
“As governments, businesses and individuals worldwide rise to the challenges of energy security and climate change, renewable energy has emerged as the most promising solution,'' she said.
Ms. Dikshit, who also inaugurated an exhibition to propagate various appliances of renewable energy and a workshop on “Scope of Renewable Energy Usage in Commercial Establishments/Institutions'', recalled that the day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who propagated scientific advances that could lead India on the path of progress.
As for the bio-gas plant, it was stated that it would result in a saving of Rs.7 lakh per annum as natural gas generated from this plant will be used for cooking in the Delhi Secretariat canteen.
The plant would consume up to 500 kg of kitchen waste and horticulture waste to produce 40 cubic metres of gas per day.
This volume of gas would be equivalent to about two commercial or three domestic LPG cylinders.
Laying emphasis on the concept of recycle, reuse and reduce, Ms. Dikshit said while a waste to power plant has been set up at Okhla, Delhi will work towards setting up more such plants to overcome the problem of overflowing landfill sites.
