Bio-CNG plant to come up at Ghazipur, generate fuel for buses

The plant will use organic or wet waste to generate fuel gas. Unlike other pending projects and schemes, this project to set up bio-CNG plant at Ghazipur will not require permissions

New Delhi

The plant will also reduce burden on the oversaturated Ghazipur landfill. (HT Archive)

A bio-CNG plant is set to come up in Ghazipur to turn wet waste from wholesale markets in the area and residential colonies in the vicinity into clean transportation fuel, senior civic officials aware of the matter said.

This will be the second such plant, following one at Okhla that is located alongside a previous facility. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) approved the signing of an MoU with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) on August 21, officials said.

“The plant will use organic or wet waste to generate fuel gas. Unlike other pending projects and schemes, this project to set up bio-CNG plant at Ghazipur will not require permission from the standing committee as the entire project cost will be borne by IGL,” a senior official, requesting anonymity, said.

The MCD said the project will help in diverting waste that is dumped at the oversaturated Ghazipur landfill. The civic body is expecting the plant to be operational in 18 months, once the MoU is signed.

The official said that the expected production of various components generated after the bio-methanation process of 100 tonnes per day of municipal solid waste would comprise 4,000kg per day of compressed biogas, 15 tonnes per day of city compost, and 50 kilolitres per day of wet slurry. “The manure may be utilised by MCD at its nurseries, gardens and green belts at a mutually decided cost, or the operator may be allowed to sell it in the open market after improving its quality,” the official said.

Officials of Indraprastha Gas Limited did not respond to request for comment.

“Delhi Development Authority transferred 10 acresto the corporation for development of a waste processing facility. The project site is located at the rear of this landfill, towards paper market. The land parcel was transferred in July but some documentation work is pending. Meanwhile, we have communicated the development to IGL so that the project can be expedited,” the official said, adding that the MoU is expected to be signed in September.

Discussing the facility at Okhla, a second MCD official said: “The facility is expected to produce compressed natural gas (Bio-CNG) by treating 200 tonnes of wet waste and dairy waste every day, which will, in turn, be utilised as clean fuel for operating vehicles.”

“The civil work at site is going on at full and installation of digester units is being carried out,” the official said.

Of the total area of 12,000 square metres, 11,000 sqm will be used for setting up a biogas plant and 1,000 sqm for an integrated CBG-CNG fuel station. The delayed project is expected to be completed by December.

Indore operates bio-CNG plants to supply fuel to the bus fleet of the city. In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 550-tonne-per-day-capacity plant worth ₹150 crore at the Devguradia trenching ground, which generates bio-CNG to run a fleet of 150 city buses.