Now, BBMP wants to start its own waste-to-energy plant

Fed up with the delay by private companies in setting up waste-to-energy plants in the city, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike plans to start its own facility, without private sector participation.

Several waste-to-energy projects conceived under the public-private partnership (PPP) have remained on paper for several years now due to lukewarm response from the private sector, protests by locals and ownership of land.

"We have discussed this with the mayor and we can start a waste-to-energy plant on our own without waiting for anyone," BBMP joint commissioner (solid waste management) Sarfaraz Khan said. "We will move a proposal to the government seeking budgetary allocation for this."

Estimated to cost Rs 300 crore, the BBMP's own waste-to-energy plant is expected to generate power using 500 tonnes of the city's garbage a day. "The advantage of starting our own waste-to-energy plant is that we will receive 53% subsidy under the Swacch Bharat mission, which works out to Rs 150 crore," Khan said.

Only three companies are currently involved in setting up waste-to-energy plants - France-based Three Ways Energy for a 500 TPD plant at Chikkanagamangala, Netherlands-based Nexus Novus for a 600 TPD plant at Bagalur and US-based Indium for a 100 TPD plant at Doddabidarakallu.

A BBMP team could visit Germany, France, South Korea and China to identify the right waste-to-energy technology for Bengaluru. Choosing the right technology has been an area of disagreement between the BBMP and its expert committee on solid waste management.

According to Khan, there are three major technologies in the waste-to-energy space: burn technology, which involves direct incineration of waste; biomethanation, which involves converting waste into gas to produce power; drying the mixed waste, shredding it and producing gas from the husk.

"The BBMP itself does not have any expertise to run a waste-to-energy plant," said Sandhya Narayan from the Solid Waste Management Round Table. "It's okay if the civic body sets up the facility and hands over operation and maintenance to technical persons like it is being done now," she said.

Bengaluru is estimated to generate 3,500-4,000 tonnes waste daily and the city has an installed processing capacity of 2,600 tonnes.

BoX  

BBMP's own plant

Estimated cost: Rs 300 crore

Capacity: 500 tonnes of garbage
Advantage: Will get 53% subsidy under Swacch Bharat mission

Pvt firms involved: Three Ways Energy, France, at Chikkanagamangala;  Nexus Novus, Dutch, at Bagalur; Indium, US, at Doddabidarakallu