Powering Sustainability: Hyderabad's Bowenpally Vegetable Market Runs on Waste!

Hyderabad’s Bowenpally vegetable market, or the Dr BR Ambedkar Vegetable Market, is a stellar example in sustainability. It converts all the waste generated there to electricity and biogas, which are used to power the market and its canteen.

The Problem of Waste

The Bowenpally market is one of the largest vegetable markets in Hyderabad, receiving a variety of produce from near and far. It generates almost 10 tonnes of organic waste daily, which until a few years ago, was just entering landfills. This not only created environmental problems, but also wasted valuable resources that could be used for other purposes.

The Solution of Biogas

To address this issue, the market committee collaborated with the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) and Ahuja Engineering to set up a waste-to-power plant based on high rate biomethanation technology. The plant uses an Anaerobic Gas lift Reactor (AGR) to convert the vegetable waste into biogas, which is further converted into electricity²³.

The plant has a capacity of 10 tonnes per day and was completed last year at a cost of ₹3 crore. It operates on a simple process:

• The vegetable waste is collected and put on conveyor belts that carry it to shredders.
• The shredded waste is converted into a slurry and put into large containers or pits to start the process of anaerobic digestion.
• The organic waste is eventually converted into biogas, which has two major components: methane and carbon dioxide.
• The biogas is then put into 100 per cent biogas generators that convert it into electricity.
• The electricity generated is used to light up over 100 streetlights, 170 stalls, an administrative building and the water supply network.
• The biogas is also pumped into the canteen kitchen of the market, where it is used as a substitute for LPG.

The Benefits of Sustainability

The waste-to-power plant has multiple benefits for the market and the environment. Some of them are:

• It reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfills, thus saving space and preventing pollution.
• It generates green energy that reduces the dependence on fossil fuels and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.
• It saves money for the market committee by reducing the electricity bills and LPG costs.
• It produces nutrient-rich biomanure that can be used in farming.
• It creates awareness and inspires others to adopt similar practices of sustainability.

The Bowenpally vegetable market is a shining example of how waste can be turned into wealth. It shows how innovation and collaboration can lead to positive outcomes for both people and the planet.