Biogas from waste may soon fuel Indian gov’t vehicles

India’s Mysore City Corporation (MCC) is planning to set up a biogas plant to convert waste into a fuel that can be used in vehicles after completing a fact-finding mission to Sweden recently, according to the Times of India.

Sweden, which has been using biogas as automobile fuel for seven years, has reached an agreement with the Union government to assist eight cities in India in various environmental related projects. Mysore has sent a proposal for setting up a biogas plant under the Indo-Swedish program. Pune and Delhi have also shown their interest and are waiting Sweden’s reply, according to sources.

"Setting up a biogas plant requires huge investment and the corporation will take up the project under PPP. MCC is searching for stakeholders, who are ready to invest for the project which is estimated to cost about Rs 60 crore," said commissioner K S Raykar..

"A biogas plant will need a sewage treatment plant along with it. So we are planning to establish it in Vidyaranyapuram where the city's sewage treatment plant is located. The plant also requires a minimum of four acres and it is available there," the commissioner said.

According to MCC officials the biogas can be used in both heavy duty and light duty vehicles used by the government with minimum modifications.