Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to establish a waste to energy plant in Delhi to convert Municipal Solid Waste into Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) for use as fuel for running vehicles.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs; Anil Baijal, Lt. Governor, Delhi; Rameswar Teli, Union Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Labour & Employment; Tarun Kapoor, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas; Mukesh Suryan, Mayor, SDMC; Gyanesh Bharti, Commissioner, SDMC; A.K. Jana, Managing Director, IGL; Amit Garg, Director (Commercial); and other senior officials from Ministry, SDMC, and IGL.

The agreement was signed as a part of an extension of the SATAT initiative of the government under the synchronization scheme. The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme envisages setting up of 5,000 CBG plants by 2023-24 with a production target of 15 MMTPA, facilitating the creation of new employment opportunities and enhancing farmers income.

By using municipal solid waste as input, this initiative involves a multi-pronged approach to reduce municipal waste on one hand and produce clean energy on the other in a sustainable manner.

As a part of the MoU, SDMC shall provide a designated area at the identified site in Hastsal in West Zone to IGL for setting up Biogas plant and CBG Station. SDMC shall also be providing assured regular supply of segregated biodegradable waste (approximately 100 TPD) to IGL for running the proposed CBG plant.

The expected production of CBG from this plant is expected to be approximately 4,000 kg per day. However, this volume of CBG generated would not be sufficient to cater to expected vehicular demand under CNG. Therefore, an Integrated CBG station shall be established to cater to CNG demand of the general public as well as captive demand for SDMC vehicles. The residual Bio-manure/organic slurry will be further value addition and shall be sold in the market.

Speaking on the occasion, Hardeep Puri said, "The solid waste is a big problem in the country and needs to be solved quickly. Only 14% of the solid waste was processed in 2014 but in seven years, the figure has gone upto 70% due to the success of Swachh Bharat Mission."

He said that the MoU should lead to quick implementation of the project, and became a basis for more such projects.

Describing it as a small step in the right direction, Puri said that it is a win-win project for all stakeholders. He announced that there will be regular review of the project, and the obstacles in its implementation, if any, will be sorted out.