Gail's unique gas project from urban solid waste
For effective and optimum utilisation of urban solid waste, Gas Authority of India Ltd. (Gail) has embarked upon a unique project - "landfill gas" - extracting methane from the disposal and channeling it for domestic as well as commercial usage.
The project has twin objectives. While on one hand, the gas - being emitted from the waste is actually methane and goes waste as it remains untapped - can be utilised, on the other hand the increased nuisance created because of massive waste disposal in the city can also be curtailed.
To start with, Gail will soon conduct scientific studies on the quantum of gas generation and the techno-economic feasibility of the project in metropolitan cities. Pilot projects for the purpose has been set up in Ghazipur near Delhi, besides, Dhapa in Kolkata and Belgachia in Howrah district.
Gail Director (HR), S Niyogi said that it was necessary to conduct sample study on the urban solid waste generation in various cities which held formal discussions for allocation of land, partnership of the statutory bodies. He also pointed out that the benefit of such an exercise was to create a database of the quality, quantity and yield characteristics of the solid waste of the area and be technically in a better position to access the viability of the project.
Methane is being successfully utilised in a number of applications throughout the country the prominent one being CNG (compressed natural gas). While this gas is used widely as vehicular fuel in Delhi, Mumbai, Baroda and Surat, the gas is being transported through Gail's pipeline from Hazira, which is both money and natural resource consuming.
As a natural gas, usage of methane is universally considered to be environment friendly and non-polluting (primarily this was the factor why CNG was allowed to be used as auto fuel). However, its present usage depends upon gas transportation from Hazira, according to Gail, the urban solid waste can be an alternate source of methane generation which obviously would be cost-effective.
The "landfill gas" has other benefits too. Apart from reduction in green house gas emission, it permits the use of same land repeatedly for urban waste filling by drawing out the solid by-product. At an experimental stage, Gail's Gas Technology Institute, keeping in view the company's focus, concluded that the by-product of the process, which is natural manure, has finite monetary value and would add to the profits of the company.
This beside, Gail would get a supplementary inexpensive source for methane for addition to its existing gas supply network and that the company would generate immense corporate goodwill for the project since it would lead to immense non-conventional source of energy. Also, cash flow statement and the IRR (according to a Gail inhouse study) reveal a favourable outcome with a payback period of a little over 2 years.
For the pilot projects Gail has picked M/s Tetra Tech India Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of US based Tetra Tech EMI, to carry out the sample studies.
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