SP Renewable Energy Sources Pvt. Ltd., Borsad, Anand , Gujarat

Lecture Theme 

Various Types of Biogas Plants (Small and Large Capacities) and their  Suitable Feedstock.

About SP Group

I was born in a family with farmer’s orientation. My father was abusinessman. Soon after graduation in 1996, I established SP ElectronicsCorporation (SPELECO), as a proprietary company.SPELECO supplied and installed over 20,000 Solar Operated domestic lightingsystems as well as more than 500 modules of Solar Power Packs for use ofPrimary Milk Co‐operative Societies, Educational Institutions etc., followed upwith assured after‐sales service through its Centers.In 2007,   I  under took visits abroad, which included China, Germany and other EU States to see and evaluate appropriate Biogas Technology suited to Indian conditions. A tie‐up agreement was reached between M/s   PlanET Biogastechnik GmbH., Germany and SPRESPL for setting up large Biogas Based Power Generation Plants.

Essentially, there are two types of Biogas Plants in vogue. They are:

1. Fixed Dome Biogas digester made in different shapes from differentconstruction materials, and

2. Floating‐Dome Biogas digester made in different shapes from differentconstruction materials.

Both the above types of Biogas digesters use anaerobic digestion process forproduction of biogas.

Types of Biogas Digesters

Feedstock for Biogas Production

1. Agricultural OriginLivestock manureAgricultural residuesAnimal mortalitiesEnergy crops

2. Industrial OriginWastewaterIndustrial sludgeIndustrial by‐productsSlaughterhouse wasteSpent beveragesBio‐solids

3. Municipal OriginSewage sludgeMunicipal solid wasteFood residuals

In the light of the above discussion, I would like to put before you SPRESPL’s experience withregard to installation of Small and Large sized Biogas Projects as follows.

SPRESPL supplied and installed 72 small sized biogas digesters, each of 10 cubicmeter capacity in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Notable of these include:

•A chain of Sanitary Blocks for use of fishermen and their families integrated to cluster ofdigesters in coastal areas of Maharashtra-Gujarat

•Small biogas digesters put up in the Gau Shalas run by His Holiness, Pramukh SwamijiMaharaj as well as Dakore pilgrimage place.

•Integrated two small sized biogas digesters using canteen wastes, leftover-food wastesof the Canteen at M/s Kemrock Industries & Exports Ltd., Waghodia.

•Planet Green Housing Complex, Vadodara using sanitary waste, vegetable peels,mowed grass from lawns in the premises as input material in the digester. The powergenerated is being put to use for street-lighting, garden-lightening.

(a) Small Biogas Digesters in the multiples of 10 cubic meter capacity.

(b) Medium Sized Community Biogas Plants on Power Generation Mode at District Level in

Gujarat State

Recognizing the appropriate technology of Biogas Plant available with M/s SP RenewableSources Private Ltd., the State Government has identified and authorized them to installCommunity Biogas Plants in 31 selected districts as per the terms of agreement entered withthem. The salient features of the Biogas Based Power Generation Plant under Gobar Gas Projectof the State Government are as under:

(1) Under this Public‐Private‐Partnership (PPP) scheme, the farmers of the selected district willform a “Producer Company”, pool their animal/agro‐wastes, and commit themselves tosupply their inputs to the Producer Company on sustained long term basis.

(2) The seed capital (20%) will come from the combined contribution of the user agency (theproducer company at district level and the BOO agency namely SPRESPL), Rest of the 80% ofthe Project cost will be met from the subsidy made available to such Producer Company byGovernment of Gujarat through its nodal agency namely Gujarat State Rural DevelopmentCorporation. The projects are being executed by M/s SP Renewable Energy Sources PrivateLtd.

(3) The project cost is set at Rs.15 crores . The installation of these digesters at severallocations has been started and progressing at various sites.

(4) The residual of the inputs will become an organic manure, low‐cost, rich in value andeco‐friendly substitute for chemical fertilizers, which are too costly and cause healthhazards. This value added organic manure can be branded and sold at remunerativerates.

Conti…….

SPRESPL had plans to set up large‐scale BBPG plants having 2 MW power generation capacity tobegin with. With this objective SPRESPL initiated to campaign for formation of a ProducerCompany and interacted with Thamna Health & Education Trust and Thamna Gram Panchayatfor establishment of Thamna Bio Power & Organic Producer Co Ltd., Thamna. This Company wasformed and incorporated for bio‐waste utilization and power generation. Brief features of thisproducer company are mentioned below.

As part of its pursuit for self‐sustainable growth measure, the village panchayat and ThamnaEducation Trust have been looking for a viable eco‐friendly means to meet their electric powerrequirements and consulted M/s SP Renewable Energy Sources Pvt. Ltd., Borsad for anappropriate solution. M/s SP Renewable Energy Sources Pvt. Ltd., have been focusing theirattention and efforts for establishment of Biogas Based Power Generation Plants (BBPGPs)across the country and have collaborated with one of the leading global leaders, M/s PlanETBiogastechnik GmbH., Germany who have specialized technology in this field.

(c) Large Scale BBPG Plant of 2 MW capacity

The Company incorporated consists of about 200 producer-farmer memberslocated in and around Thamna village in Anand District of Gujarat State andraise seed-capital.

The Company is a part of PPT (Public-Private- Partnership) concept

SP Renewable Energy Sources Pvt Ltd., have been appointed by the ProducerCompany as their Consultants for execution of the project.

The Gujarat Government will provide land for the project at reasonable cost

M/s PlanET, Germany in consultation with SPRESPL have conducted a pre‐project survey for establishment of proposed 2 MW capacity BBPG Plant andrequired land for the same has been acquired by Thamna Bio Power.

The agro‐wastes other than cow dung such as agro waste will be first shreddedand pulverized and added with automated Digester can handle all type ofbiodegradable biomass. This is a CSTR and the biomass other feeders. There willbe no scum formation and floating inside the digester, as there is a continuousmixing with a central and satellite paddles

Conti…….

The plant size will be having facilities of Biogas enrichment, bottling/storage, pipeddistribution system for utilities.

Thus, it may be noted that under both the above plans, the farmer based User Organizationalong with Consultants (SPRESPL) shall raise 51% project cost with the help of promoters inIndia and abroad.

Seen in the above context, The Thamna Bio Power Project for generation of 2 MW powerand the replication projects of higher capacity Bio Power Plants along with small andmedium Biogas Plants shall entitle a large amount of investment for up gradation forapproximately 100 MW Power generation in near future. The modernization would involvedeveloping and addition of Solar Powered Sterling Engines which shall ensure continuouspower generation by switching over from Biogas in the night hours to Solar ConcentratedPower (CFLR) during morning hours and visa‐a‐versa. We may even think of having Fuel Cellpowered operations coupled to the Biogas System.

(d) Future Vision: Large Sized Community Biogas Plants for Enrichment, Bottling   &  Piped Distribution

Together, We Can Succeed.

Thank You All.    

Jai Hind.

Sanjay Patel,CMD,SP Renewable Energy Sources Pvt. Ltd.