Kozhikode: Kerala is set to witness a significant expansion in its compressed biogas (CBG) infrastructure, with five new plants planned in addition to ongoing projects in Kozhikode and Kochi, according to Local Self-Governments Minister M.B. Rajesh, reports The Hindu.
The Minister was in Kozhikode on Monday, July 28, to attend the signing of an agreement between the Kozhikode Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) for a new CBG plant at Njeliyanparamba. Speaking at the event, Rajesh announced that similar plants will be established in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Changanassery, Thrissur, and Palakkad. BPCL will also partner on the plants coming up in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.
In Kochi, a CBG plant located in Brahmapuram is currently undergoing a trial run and is expected to be commissioned by September. It will process around 150 tonnes of waste per day.
Rajesh emphasized that CBG plants are a step forward in keeping cities clean while also producing a valuable commercial product in the form of biogas. He warned that strict action would be taken against those who continue to dump waste in public areas instead of using designated bins.
The Kozhikode project will be developed on an eight-acre plot at Njeliyanparamba at a cost of ₹99 crore. The land has been leased to BPCL for 25 years, and construction is expected to take 24 months. The facility will process between 150 and 180 tonnes of biowaste daily, producing 56 tonnes of biogas and 20 to 25 tonnes of bio-fertiliser each day. The biogas will be sold to the Gas Authority of India Ltd., and a fuel station will be constructed on-site.
The agreement was signed by T.V. Anupama, Special Secretary of the Department of Local Self-Governments, K.U. Bini, Corporation Secretary, and P. Anil Kumar, Executive Director at BPCL.
Ministers P.A. Mohamed Riyas (Public Works and Tourism) and A.K. Saseendran (Forests and Wildlife) were also present at the event.
