Punjab Agricultural University signs pact for paddy straw biogas plant

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has inked a pact with Sun Energy Power Engineering Corporation, Sangrur, for the commercialisation of paddy straw-based biogas plant made up of Mild Steel (MS) sheet (above the ground) technology, designed and developed under the Scheme “All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Energy in Agriculture and Agro-based Industries (AICRP on EAAI)” as well as funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Dr AS Dhatt, director of Research, PAU and a representative of Sun Energy Power Engineering Corporation of Sangrur signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), as per which the university offers non-exclusive rights to the firm for making paddy straw-based biogas plant, made up of mild steel sheet (above the ground), within India.
Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, additional director of Research (Farm Mechanisation and Bio-energy), PAU, congratulated Dr Rajan Aggarwal, head, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, for the commercialisation of this technology, developed by Dr Sarbjit Singh Sooch, principal scientist, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering.
Dr Aggarwal said that paddy straw can be digested by anaerobic means for the production of biogas as a fuel for the kitchen as well as power generation - it is one of the viable options for ex-situ management of paddy straw.
Discussing the technology itself, Sooch explained that the latest method of anaerobic digestion - dry fermentation of organic wastes - can be carried out, which requires little labour and produces biogas for a period of three months. The digested material produced from such anaerobic digestion is a good quality manure ready for use in fields, he added.
Dr Usha Nara, Plant Breeder, TMIPRC, stated that PAU has signed a total of 312 MoAs. She also said that eight MoAs of paddy straw-based biogas plant, made of mild steel sheet (above the ground), have been signed with different companies and firms.