Biogas plant inaugurated at OU

Hyderabad: Osmania University vice chancellor Professor Kumar Molugaram inaugurated the decentralised biogas plant that has been built to sustainably manage the wet waste generated from the hostel canteens on the university campus on Monday.

This plant is supported and implemented by SAAHAS, an NGO working in the waste management sector, through the CSR funds of KPMG and is manufactured and operated by Ahuja Engineering Services Private Limited (AESPL).

According to OU officials, the plant is situated in the ladies hostel campus. It converts two tonnes of canteen food waste per day into biogas (an environmentally friendly biofuel). At full capacity, the plant will generate 200-240 m3 of biogas daily that is equivalent to six to eight domestic LPG cylinders per day. The food waste is collected daily from more than 20 hostels on the main university campus in an electric vehicle and brought to the biogas plant site. The biogas generated from this food waste is used to replace a portion of the wood and LPG being used for cooking.

This plant prevents the food waste from going to landfill, hence reducing the carbon emissions up to 85 tonnes per month. The plant also provides health benefits to the cooking staff by replacing the wood used for cooking. The LPG replacement reduces fossil fuel usage and allows for monetary savings, said a senior officer, OU.