Breaking free from the complications witnessed in the older biogas plant models, a Coimbatore-based inventor has come up with an innovatively designed biogas plant at an affordable cost, making it possible for individual users and small-scale farmers to utilize the biogas technology. The new model is compact, very cost effective, requires very low maintenance, and the generated biogas smells clean, making it possible to be used for cooking too!

Despite its advantages, biogas couldn’t become popular among the masses due to the huge investment involved. Also, a biogas plant could be installed only in big farms. But, the new model successfully addresses these issues, and also helps reduce the consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Professor K. Kamaraj, Director of the Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Development Society (NERD), who invented the new and compact model, said that the previous models had been posing problems including huse investment,  frequent maintenance, consumed more time fot installation and required more space

“Though the models were reviewed in order to tackle the prevailing problems, these four issues made it difficult for consumers to use biogas without complications,” Kamaraj said.

The new model designed by Kamaraj costs less than Rs.10,000, which is way less than the previous models which cost up to Rs. 25,000. “The models also have a compact design to fit in smaller spaces, take less installation time, and do not require frequent maintenance like the previous models,” he added.

Kamaraj has also made a significant change with the inlet and outlet valve, by successfully synchronising them.

“The previous models have two different valves. But here it is very simple. Wastes are removed and the plant is refilled through the same outlet. In addition, we can use the slurry as manure for plants,” Kamaraj said.

He also informed that the biogas thus produced can used for cooking at home. “Unlike other biogas models, the gas produced in this plant do not emnate bad odour while it’s put to use” he claimed.

On the cost efficiency of the model, Kamaraj added that the model can contribute 50 percent of the total household use, allowing the user to spend less on LPG cylinders.

“People can buy this model using the 50 per cent subsidy offered by the Government,” the professor said.