Amid LPG Concerns, Bengaluru’s Wet Waste-to-Biogas Facility Showcases Alternative Fuel Model

Bengaluru, March 14:

A waste processing facility in Bengaluru that converts wet waste into biogas for cooking fuel and electricity generation — while also housing multiple recycling and waste-handling units within the same premises — has emerged as a model for integrated solid waste management in the city.

Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Commissioner Maheshwar Rao and the Chief Executive Officer of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) Karee Gowda are scheduled to visit the facility to review its functioning and the various waste processing systems operating there.

The facility processes wet waste through biomethanation plants to generate biogas, while dry waste is segregated and recyclable materials are recovered through a Dry Waste Collection Centre. Units for bulky waste management and thermocol processing are also located within the premises.

According to officials, a five-tonne-per-day biomethanation plant can produce around 200 kg of biogas from wet waste. The gas is used for captive consumption within the plant and also for generating electricity for nearby facilities such as street lighting. 

An upgraded 8.5-tonne capacity plant supplies biogas directly to nearby hotels. Around 120 kg of gas is sold daily at ₹70 per kg, generating roughly ₹8,400 per day. 

The facility also houses a Dry Waste Collection Centre with a capacity of 4 tonnes per day, with an additional 3-tonne unit proposed to be made operational. 

Officials said such decentralised facilities are being promoted as part of efforts to scientifically process wet waste in the city, which generates nearly 3,000 tonnes of wet waste daily.