Gandhinagar, Oct 28 (IANS) Two new Bio-CNG plants in Gujarat’s Tharad and Radhanpur, which will together process 175 metric tonnes of cattle dung daily, will take the number of such facilities operated by Banas Dairy to six, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to lay their foundation stones from Bhildi in Banaskantha district on October 30.
The plants, with processing capacities of 75 metric tonnes per day in Tharad and 100 metric tonnes per day in Radhanpur, are expected to boost the production of clean fuel and organic fertilisers while providing an additional source of income for animal husbandry farmers.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Legislative Assembly Speaker and Banas Dairy chairman Shankar Chaudhary will attend the event.
The four existing Bio-CNG plants operated by Banas Dairy in Banaskantha collectively process around 340 metric tonnes of cattle dung daily. With the addition of the two proposed facilities, their combined processing capacity will rise to 515 metric tonnes a day.
Banaskantha has an estimated livestock population of 28 lakh, including around 24 lakh animals belonging to husbandry farmers associated with Banas Dairy.
These animals are estimated to generate approximately 24,000 metric tonnes of cattle dung every day, providing substantial raw material for the dairy cooperative’s waste-to-energy model.
Banas Dairy began producing and selling compressed biogas (CBG) in 2020 at its plant in Dama village in Deesa taluka, which can process 40 metric tonnes of cattle dung daily.
Subsequently, three plants, each with a daily processing capacity of 100 metric tonnes, were established at Agthala, Bhukhla and Vinchhivadi in partnership with Suzuki Motor Corporation and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
According to the state government, the four operational plants have the capacity to produce around 6,150 kg of Bio-CNG, 83 metric tonnes of solid organic fertiliser and 260 metric tonnes of liquid organic fertiliser daily.
Under the model, cattle dung is procured from animal husbandry farmers, giving them supplementary income.
The Bio-CNG produced during processing is used as vehicle fuel, while the remaining slurry is converted into solid and liquid organic fertilisers and supplied to farmers under the brand name ‘Bhumi Amrut’.
The Bio-CNG is sold at subsidised rates compared with conventional CNG, with Banas Dairy currently selling approximately 6,100 kg daily. The expansion is also expected to increase the environmental benefits of the initiative.
Cattle dung left in the open releases methane, a greenhouse gas with approximately 28 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over 100 years.
By converting dung into fuel, the Bio-CNG plants help reduce methane emissions while producing an alternative energy source.
According to Banas Dairy’s estimates, the six plants will collectively prevent between 33,400 and 34,600 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
–IANS
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