A temple can not only fuel faith but a unique initiative as well.
Eighteen students of the College of Forestry in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district, have transformed vegetable oil offered to the deity at the Sirsi Marikamba temple here into biofuel.
The Pongamia (Honge in Kannada) seeds are used as raw material for production of biodiesel. But, the popularity of the seeds had made it very dear. This forced the teachers and students to look for an alternative source for biodiesel.
Living in the temple town, it suddenly dawned on them that the vegetable oil offered at Sirsi Marikamba temple by a steady flow of pilgrims, could be an ideal raw material.
“We purchased the oil from the temple authorities at ₹15 per litre. The temple generates around 250 to 350 litres of waste oil per month, sometimes going up to 1,000 litres during the month of Karthika. We started converting it into biodiesel through the trans-esterification unit granted to the college by the ICAR,” said P. Ramana of the Department of Forest Products and Utilisation, who is also principal coordinator of the Uttar Kannada District Biofuel Information and Demonstration Centre at Sirsi.
The initiative included 18 students who were engaged in the initiative for six months. Three students would take turns to work for a month at the unit. Apart from producing biodiesel from Pongamia seeds and waste vegetable oil, they also made money by selling seed cakes of Pongamia. There was additional income through sale of soaps made from glycerine, a byproduct, and floor cleaner made from wash water during trans-esterification process.
“Our aim is to ensure that the students earn while they learn. Apart from giving practical experience, we want them to come up with innovative ideas so that they go out to take up challenges and offer solutions,” said Dean of the college H. Basappa.
While they incurred a cost of ₹3,675 for production of 25 litres of biodiesel and other products per day from Pongamia seeds, their income through total sale of products was ₹4,800. Similarly, their cost of producing biodiesel from waste vegetable oil was ₹1,080 for 25 litres of biodiesel and other byproducts, and the revenue stood at ₹1,470 per day. “Three students who worked for a month (26 days) at this unit earned a profit of ₹2,575 daily, making each student earn ₹22,490 a month,” explained Prof. Ramana.
Apart from the waste oil from the temple, the college has now started procuring waste vegetable oil from home food industries to convert it into biodiesel. The biodiesel generated is being sold locally for private vehicles. With the support of the Karnataka State Bio Energy Development Board, the college is conducting extensive awareness programmes on biofuel.
