UK firm offers to produce 65mw power from garbage

A UK-based company proposed to set up a 65mw power-generating unit using the garbage generated in the city, but the BBMP was not convinced with the overall idea.

Green Homes Global Energy, along with Bangalore-based  Rushe Infratek Pvt Ltd, proposed implementing a 65mw an hour waste energy solution for the city.

“The BBMP will provide the garbage generated in the city to the plant and we will produce the electricity and sell it to the power purchasing agency. The BBMP needs to provide 6 to 10 acres of land for setting up the plant, which will cost about Rs3,000 crore. We will give back the city a greener, more peaceful and healthier environment as the plant doesn’t emit any smell nor create noise.  Moreover, the residue after using the waste is very minimal”, said Green Homes representative Ajay Ahluwalia.

Rushe Infratek managing director Ravi Prakash said that BBMP will have to assure garbage supply for at least 25 years and the state government or an agency must agree to purchase power thus produced.

They also said that the waste-to-energy plant can not only convert municipal solid waste but also medical, industrial and sewage waste.

The plant requires about one lakh tonnes of waste annually to generate 3 to 6mw of power an hour. The rejects from the garbage are nil. The waste is converted into energy by a special method called pyrolysis, where the common hazardous waste is converted into electricity by a total green technology.

Not convinced with the idea, BBMP commissioner Siddaiah expressed that the municipal garbage was no longer considered a waste, as it has become a revenue-generating product.

“We are thinking of generating revenue from the waste produced in the city. The company will produce electricity, sell it and make money; the purchaser will sell it making some profit on it. Both will make money, but how does the BBMP, that provides the garbage, be benefited”, he wondered and questioned the company representatives if they wished to purchasing garbage from the BBMP instead.

The company representatives, however, were firm that the Palike should provide garbage free of cost as they will give the city a clean and healthy environment by using up the garbage.

“The BBMP collects the garbage and dump in landfills. But if we set up a plant, BBMP can dump the garbage in the plant which will be converted into power without pollution. That way, the city will be clean too”, Ajay said.

Negotiating further, BBMP officials asked, if garbage is given out free of cost, will they at least take up door-to-door collection work as Palike is spending nearly Rs12 crore for garbage collection every year. The representatives declined saying BBMP should collect and dump the garbage in the plant. Almost everybody, including deputy mayor N Dayanand, ruling party leader Satyanarayana and standing committee chairmen were not convinced with the proposal.

Siddaiah said the Palike can only provide land and garbage to the company if they set up a plant, but for power-generation or supply, the company has to approach the state government.