Till a few years ago, generating electricity from vegetable waste would have been a distant dream, but it is no longer the case. Hyderabad’s Bowenpally Vegetable Market has turned this into a reality. About 10 tonnes of waste is collected daily in the market, which was earlier used for landfill, but is now a major source of electricity for the vegetable market.
Srinivas, Secretary, Bowenpally Vegetable Market, underlined that every ounce of vegetable and fruit waste collected from this market is used to generate around 500 units of electricity and 30 kg of biofuel. The electricity generated powers streetlights, 170 stalls, an administrative building and a water supply network, while the biofuel produced is used in the market’s commercial kitchen. Biogas plants are now called “the way to a sustainable future”. The canteen in Mandi is operated by the electricity generated through the installed plant. The mandi yard requires 650-700 units of electricity and on an average around 7-8 tonnes of vegetable waste is required to produce 400 units of electricity. As a result, the market place also remains clean and pollution free. Various international delegates have also visited the plant and appreciated our efforts.
Bowenpally’s Waste-to-Energy Plant provides employment opportunities for women by providing them opportunities to work in various roles such as sorting and segregating waste, operating machinery and managing administrative tasks. The plant provides women workers with an opportunity for skill development as well as a steady income.
Rukmini Devamma, a woman employee at the Bowenpally vegetable market, says, “We are being paid well for our work since the bio-gas plant has been set up. We have also been given all the necessary safety gear like masks, gum boots, gloves etc. After getting such a safe environment, we are encouraging others to join and work with us.
According to Bowenpally market officials, an average of 10 tonnes of waste is generated daily. This waste has the potential to generate about 6,290 kg of carbon dioxide per year which can be more harmful to the environment. To solve this problem, the officials of Bowenpally Vegetable Market decided to convert this waste into energy.