Gobar Gas and Biogas Plants in Punjab

-A biogas bottling project of 600 m 3/day capacity has been commissioned

in2011 in Village Kalatibba, Tehsil Abohar, District Ferozepur (Punjab). The
project is developed by Anand Energy. Raw material such as cattle dung,
poultry waste and kitchen waste is used in this biogas facility. It is
responsible for generation, purification/enrichment and bottling of biogas.
The project received a grant of Rs. 45.50 lakh CFA from MNRE during the
year 2009-10. The plant is based on MUSAB Technology and produces 98%
Methane. The upgraded Biogas is compressed to 150-bar pressure for filling
in cylinders and supplied to mid-day meal scheme for cooking food of over
18000 school students in Abohar and its adjoining areas. The slurry/manure
of biogas plant is being sold to the farmers and used in liquid form by them
in Kinoo plants.
-Another biogas plant of 1000 cum/Day is operational in Sri Muktsar Sahib
(Punjab)
Till a few years ago, residents of several villages in Moga district were facing the problem of power cuts,
but now some progressive farmers of Channuwala, Badhni Kalan, Kapoore and Daya Kalan villages have
come forward for installing biogas plants thereby generating electricity for village water works.

In a bid to popularise non-conventional energy resources, the Punjab government has announced subsidy
bonanza under different schemes of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

Moga deputy commissioner Arshdeep Singh Thind said the government was providing subsidy of R8,000
on a small biogas plant and 700 such plants had been set up in the district. "We started this as a pilot
project at Channuwala and now it has become a role model. Besides, two big biogas plants having
capacity of 150-200 cubic metres were also being installed at Channuwala and Badhni Kalan villages.
These plants would also generate 25 KV of electricity. Proposal for two other similar biogas plants at
Kapoore and Daiya villages of the district had also been cleared," said Thind.

On the other hand, as residents of Channuwala village started installing biogas plants, the major problem
was shortage of cowdung, which was necessary to run the project. A progressive farmer, Jatinder Singh
Bittu of this village stepped forward and bought 150 cows. The cowdung is now helping generate
uninterrupted electricity at a biogas plant at Channuwala.

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According to the district administration, the population of Channuwala is about 4,000, while more than
1,000 poor people live in the outer area of the village. Underprivileged people have benefited the most
from the scheme. The generator, which runs on biogas, also helps operate water pumps thus bringing
water to all houses in the village.

Bittu said his father started with just one cow around 38 years ago. The progressive farmer is not only a
successful businessman now but also owns the biggest dairy farm in the village. "The problem was grave
as poor families did not have even R100 to pay monthly power bill. Owing to unpaid bills, power
connection would be cut off every few days. This generator can run for eight hours and now the village
gets water supply for six hours a day. Earlier, I had to dig a pit and wait for weeks for the dung to turn
into manure, but after cowdung is used in a biogas feeder, the manure is generated in a few hours," Bittu
added.

Giving details on non-conventional energy resources, district manager of PEDA, Anupam Nanda said the
government was providing subsidy on solar water-heating systems, solar streetlights, solar home lights
and solar cookers to facilitate the public. "As many as 20,000 solar water-heating systems, 100 solar
streetlights, 50 solar lanterns and 50 solar cookers besides 30 solar pumps had so far been supplied and
installed by PEDA in Moga district," he added.
Nanda added that the state government would provide 70% subsidy on solar water pumps to all
beneficiaries in the horticulture sector and the scheme would be launched in the next two months.