The Hindu    07.04.2017 

Biogas cuts power bill of Arcot civic body

Plant powers 156 street lights

The Arcot Municipality has been saving at least Rs. 2.25 lakh, every
month after it started using the power generated by its biogas plant,
according to Collector S.A. Raman.

Using the methane produced at
the biogas plant in place of diesel for operating a 30 kVA generator,
the municipality was powering 156 street lights and 10 other lights.
There was uninterrupted power supply for these lights, thereby reducing
the use of diesel. The municipality had been saving at least Rs. 75,000
as electricity charges every month, a release said.

The
Collector visited the facility on Thursday. The plant was set up in
2013 under the self-sufficiency scheme at a cost of Rs. 44 lakh.

Earlier,
the civic body had been removing its vegetable, fruits and meat waste
by involving a private agency and paying them Rs. 3 lakh a month. After
the biogas plant came into place, the municipality workers were removing
the waste and taking it to the plant in the municipal vehicles. This
cost only Rs. 1.5 lakh, he said in a press release. Through this, the
municipality had been saving Rs. 1.5 lakh a month. It had been saving
Rs. 2.25 lakh, including its spending on electricity that amounted to
Rs. 75,000, he added. Following the success of the project, the scheme
was being implemented at 32 municipalities in the State, he added.