Industry insiders see potential in the food processing industry, including sugar, distilleries, pulp and paper, dairies and poultry to make use of their waste material for converting them into gas and generate power from it. “Renewable energy has come of age now. Only this can bridge the prevailing demand-supply gap of power. We need to be energy efficient as well as self reliant by making maximum use of all the sources of renewable energy. Making use of industrial waste to produce power is one such way to do it," said Deepak Gupta, secretary, MNRE at a seminar organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries of India (ASSOCHAM) in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
According to government estimates there is a potential for recovery of about 1300 Mw of energy from industrial wastes, which is projected to increase to 2000 Mw by 2017. Gupta mentioned that at present project worth 130 Mw generation capacities are under operation in the country. Energy generated from farm wastes, sludge and manure can substitute the use of kerosene for lighting in rural areas, he informed.
The payback period for power generation from waste is estimated to be about two years. Additionally, experts maintained that industrial waste, which is otherwise dumped on land or water creating pollution can find suitable disposal by using it for power generation. Read the full report here.
Source: Eco-Business.com.
