Bhopal Municipal Corporation produces CNG from sugarcane waste:City generates 15–20 tonnes of waste daily; fuel to be available at lower rates than market

Sugarcane waste (bagasse), commonly seen littering the city’s streets during summer, is set to become a valuable resource. In a unique initiative, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation has successfully conducted a trial to produce CNG from this waste. A private plant operator demonstrated the process, showing that CNG can be generated efficiently from bagasse. Notably, the corporation will receive this CNG at a slightly lower price than market rates, helping reduce costs while promoting environmental sustainability. During peak summer, around 1,500 to 2,000 sugarcane juice vendors operate across the city, generating 15 to 20 tonnes of waste daily. Until now, this waste was transported to Adampur Khanti, where it took nearly 50 days to convert into compost. Under the new system, the private company will collect the waste directly from designated collection centres, eliminating transportation costs for the corporation. Currently, about 3 tonnes of waste are being supplied to the CNG plant, but with the deployment of larger vehicles, this is expected to increase to 15–20 tonnes per day. 3 benefits will change the face of the city Corporation will get 65 percent of required CNG According to experts, approximately 4 percent, i.e., 4000 kilograms of CNG, is produced from 100 tons of sugarcane waste. During the trial, gas has been successfully produced from sugarcane fibres. The company has also offered to provide gas to the corporation at rates cheaper than market rates. If 20 tons of sugarcane waste is received daily, then the corporation can get 800 kilograms of CNG daily. The corporation needs approximately 1200 kilos of CNG daily for its 275 vehicles. This means more than 65 percent of the demand can be met, but this will only be during the summer days. 300 shopkeepers alerted… The corporation issued instructions to about 300 sugarcane juice stall operators. Shopkeepers are filling sugarcane waste in separate sacks. Corporation vehicles deliver this waste to the garbage station, from where company employees take it to the CNG plant located at Ratibadh. This will help in cleaning the city’s garbage. Instructions have been given to sugarcane juice stall operators to fill the waste in sacks. Do not mix glass, plastic and other garbage in it. Along with cleanliness, this will financially benefit the corporation in the future.
– Sanskriti Jain, Municipal Corporation Commissioner