Kozhikode: The Kerala State government has approved a new compressed biogas (CBG) plant at Njeliyanparamba in Kozhikode, four months after the proposal was submitted. The ₹99-crore project will be implemented by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and is expected to take two years to become operational, reports The Hindu.
The Kozhikode Corporation has agreed to lease around eight acres of land at Njeliyanparamba to BPCL for a token rent of ₹1,000 per year for 20 years. During this period, BPCL will have full control of the land for the construction and operation of the facility.
The plant will process up to 150 tonnes of organic waste per day and is projected to generate six tonnes of compressed biogas and approximately 25 tonnes of organic fertiliser daily. The site already hosts an organic waste management plant that produces manure.
The plan for the CBG facility was formulated after the Corporation terminated its agreement with Zonta Infratech, the firm originally contracted to build a waste-to-energy plant at the site. The contract was cancelled due to the company’s failure to complete even basic biomining and capping work over four years. The project faced further setbacks after a major fire broke out at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant in Kochi, which Zonta was also managing at the time.
CBG plants produce renewable energy by processing organic waste. The resulting gas is purified and compressed into CBG, a clean fuel alternative to compressed natural gas. It can be used in vehicles, industries, and commercial establishments. The process allows for the efficient disposal of all kinds of organic waste, including plant and animal remains, offering both environmental and energy benefits.
