Mah govt signs MoU with German company to jointly produce biogas

Kolhapur, Mar 18 (UNI) Maharashtra non-conventional energy minister Vinay Kore and Germany's energy minister Ms Christa Thoben, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to set up a Rs 10 crore biogas plant.

The plant will produce biogas using press mud (by-product of sugarcane) from Shree Tatyasaheb Kore Co-operative Sugar factory, Warnanagar, using technical know-how from Enersearch, an European Research Institute engaged in energy solutions and Biogas Nord, a leading German name in renewable energy.

The MoU between the sugar factory and Enersearch and Biogas Nord came about after Mr Kore visited Germany in November last year, Mr Kore said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kore said the plant, the first of its kind in India, was being built at a cost of Rs 10 crore and will be operational in 2008. The energy from the plant will he used for power generation and making Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Tatyasaheb Kore Co-operative Sugar factory would generate 3,500 litre of CNG from 110 tonne of press mud daily. This fuel will initially be used in vehicles ferrying sugarcane on which the factory spends a whopping 20,000 litre of diesel daily, Mr Kore said.

Ms Christa Thoben, in her address, said this modern technology was very useful and important for the two countries as it would help develop strong relations between them.

Biogas is an eco-friendly alternative to diesel and the lack of emissions is a crucial advantage. Such technology could be supported in the future under 'Urjaankur', a venture capital fund-created by the State along with sugar development fund, she added.

UNI