Biogas based electricity generation plant for dairy farmers inaugurated at Varanasi

New Delhi: Biogas based power generation project at Varanasi dairy plant inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on December 23, 2021 will utilize about 100 MT to produce biogas in about 4000 cubic meter/day capacity biogas plant. The biogas in turn shall be utilized to produce electrical and thermal energy which shall meet the energy needs of the dairy plant.

There are about 194 villages in the vicinity of 10 KM from the Varanasi dairy plant having about 68.6 thousand animals(livestock census) which produce approximately 779 tonnes of dung per day (at an average of about 11 kg). Among these villages, 18 villages were sampled and 1519 farmers were surveyed.  In general, the price received by the farmers who are able to sell dung is Rs. 0.25/kg. About 37% farmers surveyed expressed outright willingness to sell dung in regular manner. At this proportion around 300 Tonnes/ day should be available within 10 Km radius of the plant. The biogas plant at Varanasi dairy shall require about 100 tonne/day only which can be availed by about 2000 farmers (supplying about 25 kg per day from 2-3 animals) and few nearby Gaushalas.

In Anand, in the Zakariyapura manure management project, the effective price paid to farmers for sale of dung is between Rs.1.5 to Rs.2/ Kg. The price paid by Banas Dairy for dung procurement for bio CNG is Rs. 1/kg.

It will be a first of its kind project wherein energy needs of the dairy plant shall be met by cow dung. The farmers of Varanasi shall be able to earn not only from milk but also Rs.1.5 to Rs.2/kg from dung sale as per quality. The farmers would be given Rs.1/kg at the time of sale of dung and balance would be transferredto them as subsidyat thetime of procurement of organic fertilizer.

The project with an estimated cost of about Rs.19 Crore shall result in net savings of about Rs.0.40/litre of milk handled at the plant and will be able to recover the investment made in about six years.