Greater Bengaluru Authority Plans Expansion of Biogas Plants for Wet Waste Processing

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has announced plans to expand biogas production facilities across city corporations to convert wet waste into energy. Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao stated that additional decentralized biomethanisation plants will be established and existing facilities upgraded to improve scientific waste processing and energy generation.

Key Details

• Date: March 14

• Authority: Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA)

• Official: Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao

• Supporting Agency: Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML)

The announcement was made after an inspection visit to the Kasa-Rasa waste-to-energy facility in Koramangala under the Bengaluru South City Corporation limits.

Major Initiatives Announced

Expansion of Biogas Plants

• A detailed study will be conducted to increase biogas production from wet waste in the city.

• Additional biogas plants will be established across GBA city corporations.

• Each decentralized facility will require approximately 2–3 acres of land.

Short-Term Measures

• Upgrade existing waste processing facilities to produce biogas.

• Supply produced biogas to nearby hotels and commercial establishments.

Current Biogas Production Status

• Kasa-Rasa facility:

Processes 10 tonnes of wet waste currently.

• Biogas supplied to a nearby hotel.

• Existing BBMP biomethanisation plants:

12 plants constructed earlier.

• 6 currently operational.

• Each plant processes 5 tonnes of wet waste per day.

• Total processing capacity: ~30 tonnes daily.

• Remaining 6 plants under renovation.

• Gas generation capacity:

30–50 kg of biogas per tonne of wet waste.

• Around 200 kg gas produced per plant per day.

• Surplus biogas is used to generate electricity for nearby parks.

Biogas Supply to Hotels

• Koramangala biogas plant capacity: 8.5 tonnes per day

• Daily gas supplied: ~120 kg

• Price: ₹70 per kg

• Estimated daily revenue: ₹8,400

• Gas used as cooking fuel by nearby hotels.

New Plants Under Development

Four decentralized biomethanisation plants

• Completed:

Ward 151

• Ward 27

• Under construction:

Ward 196

• Ward 56

Large-Scale Biogas Plants Planned

• 300-tonne wet waste processing plant

Being developed with GAIL Gas India.

• 1,000-tonne wet waste processing plant

Proposed in Kannahalli area with Sataram Company.

Bio-CNG Production Initiative

• Herohalli biomethanisation plant:

Processes 50 tonnes of waste per day.

• Produces ~1,500 kg gas daily.

• Gas sold as Bio-CNG.

• Future plans include pipeline supply of gas to households.

Future Waste Management Plan

• GBA plans to process around 3,000 tonnes of wet waste daily through biogas production as part of the upcoming comprehensive solid waste management tender.

• The sludge produced from plants can be used by farmers as liquid fertilizer.

Household-Level Biogas Units

Citizens can also install small household biogas units:

• Estimated cost: ₹20,000

• Converts kitchen wet waste into cooking gas

• Supports decentralized waste management

Facilities at Kasa-Rasa Waste Processing Campus

The site currently includes:

• Biomethanisation plant (8.5 tonnes capacity) supplying gas to a hotel

• Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC)

• Thermocol processing unit

• Bulk Waste Management centre

• Training centre