Indian village to benefit from biopower project

The Indian town of Thamna, Anand is set to go ahead with a new biopower plant to produce natural gas for local use.

Around 700 farmers each own a part of the Thamna Biopower and Organic Producers company (TBO)which is hoping to produce 1,000 cubic metres of natural gas per day. Landless farmers have contributed Rs1,000 ($18) to TBO while larger land owners have put in Rs10,000.

The Rs 1.75 crore plant will use 150 tonnes of organic waste a day to produce methane gas and will have a mini-refinery attached to convert methane into compressed natural gas (CNG). It will need to produce 600kg of compressed natural gas per day to meet a major portion of the village's fuel needs.

The company will collect vegetable waste from markets in Anand, Umreth, Nadiad and Dakor, while cow dung will be used from Dakor Gowshala.

‘For the first time, farmers who are consumers will produce natural gas and, in turn, ensure that their village gets rid of waste. The fuel will be sold at least 20 to 30% cheaper than market rate,’ Sanjay Patel, technical consultant of the project, was quoted as saying.