The day is not far when individual households will be able to generate fuel for domestic use from waste. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is keen on ensuring this becomes a reality by supporting new technologies.
A.R. Shukla, Adviser to MNRE, was speaking to presspersons here on Saturday on the sidelines of the inauguration of Scalene Energy Research Institute's serigas sparse-based power plant.
“This will be a state-of-the-art technology. We hope the plant will be compact, such that it can even be kept in the living rooms. The waste that the household generates, including paper and kitchen waste, can be used to generate organic natural gas,” he said.
Great potential
Biogas technology is not new in India. There is a lot of research on in that area and there is potential. Scalene had created a new technology to produce pipeline grade natural gas and electricity from any organic material, he added.
“This new technology will enable organisations and households to have their own source of energy, which is carbon neutral. This helps radically change the production and usage of energy,” he added.
Rajah Vijay Kumar, Group Chairman, Organisation de Scalene, said the firm had created the world's first serigas plant that generates power through biodegradable waste using specially designed bio reactors.
“We have developed a highly controlled biological reaction process, which yields in the production of high-purity combustible gas. This gas can be used as cooking gas, as vehicle fuel and to generate power. This has a very low cost of installation compared to solar and wind energy,” he said.
Bio-fertilizer
He also said that the plant does not require much space. The by-products of the process can also be used as a rich bio-fertilizer and natural organic pesticide. “Several companies, including distilleries and breweries, have evinced interest in our technology and wish to set up plants to manage waste and generate power,” he said.
Mr. Kumar also said that Scalene's technology has the potential for utilisation of both lower capacity household usage and higher capacity usage. “This includes production of clean gaseous fuel upgraded to forms such as CNG,” he added.
