Turning local organic waste into electricity in India

Context

India generates 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste per year, of which 75% is collected. Only 20% of collected waste is treated, the rest being sent to dumpsites or landfills, having negative environmental impacts and posing huge issues to human health, particularly when there is a large share of organic waste. Out of the municipal solid waste generated, 50% is organic. At the same time, when organic waste is sent to dumpsites or landfills, the supply of oxygen is usually cut off, forcing it to undergo anaerobic decomposition which releases, amongst other gases, methane (CH₄). In India, methane alone constitutes approximately 29% of total GHG emissions, as opposed to the global average of around 18%.

Furthermore, India’s energy needs are rising fast, with growth in electricity demand and other energy usage among the highest in the world. Currently rural India largely relies on coal power plants, which not only emit CO₂ but also contaminate local water sources and cause long term health issues for employees.

Project

The purpose of the India Organic Waste Management Programme is organic waste management through the dissemination of biogas plants at domestic, community and institutional level. The biogas is recovered and utilized for thermal and electrical applications, thereby replacing the use of fossil fuels and firewood used for cooking and heating purposes and electricity generated by the burning of fossil fuels or sourced from the grid.

The project also avoids methane emissions due to improper disposal of waste dumped at dumpsites and landfills. Besides significant annual emission avoidance up to 70,000 tCO₂e, between 2016 and 2020 the project activity supported 73 local jobs.

Additionally, a survey found that 100 families who used to use fuelwood for cooking, but now use biogas produced from organic waste through this project, have experienced improved air quality.

Verification

Climate Solution

Methane digesters

Anaerobic digesters control decomposition of organic waste, and convert methane emissions into biogas, an alternative fuel, and digestate, a nutrient-rich fertilizer.

One option is to control decomposition of organic waste in sealed tanks called anaerobic digesters. They harness the power of microbes to transform scraps and sludge and produce two main products: biogas, an energy source, and solids called digestate, a nutrient-rich fertilizer. The digestion process unfolds continuously, so long as feedstock supplies are sustained and the microorganisms remain happy.

When produced at scale, biogas can displace dirty fossil fuels for heating and electricity generation.

From Drawdown.org