Pune: A few years ago, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) introduced biogas plants across different regional offices to manage waste locally and reduce electricity costs.
The initiative was designed to process the city's waste within each ward and generate electricity to power streetlights, thus cutting down on expenses.
However, the project has hit a major roadblock, with 14 out of 25 plants being shut down due to outdated technology and increasing operational costs.
The city produces approximately 2,200 tons of waste daily, of which nearly half is wet waste. To address this, the PMC initially set up biogas plants capable of processing five tons of wet waste daily in each ward.
These plants generated biogas from the waste, which was converted into electricity for street lighting. This model was operational until technological limitations and rising costs forced the closure of most of the plants between 2016 and 2021.
Despite initial success, maintaining the biogas plants became increasingly expensive. The cost of transporting and processing waste at these plants amounts to ₹800 per ton.
For a facility that processes five tons of waste daily, the annual expense for the PMC is ₹1.42 crore. Over time, these costs became unsustainable, prompting the PMC to shut down 14 of the original 25 plants. As of now, only 11 plants remain operational, handling around 60 tons of wet waste per day.
In response to the challenges faced by smaller biogas plants, the PMC has shifted its focus to larger waste processing facilities. Four such plants are currently operational, handling 395 tons of wet waste daily.
Additionally, 350 tons of wet waste are distributed to farmers for composting. These larger plants have proven to be more cost-effective and have attracted greater interest from contractors, who are eager to work on these more lucrative projects.
The shutdown of several biogas plants has not significantly impacted the city's overall waste management system. The waste that would have been processed at the closed plants is now being handled at other facilities.
According to Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of the Solid Waste Management Department, "While the biogas plants have decreased in number, waste management continues without disruption. The remaining plants and larger facilities are taking on the burden."
