Launch of first waste-to-energy plant by IR in Bhubaneswar
Indian Railways first waste-to-energy plant has been introduced at Bhubaneswar! In a big step towards sustainable development and energy-efficiency solutions, Indian Railways has taken a major step towards solid waste management.
The East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone of the Railway Ministry has launched its first waste-to-energy plant in the city of Bhubaneswar. On January 22, 2020, the plant in the Mancheswar Carriage Repair Workshop at Bhubaneswar was inaugurated by Rajesh Agarwal, Member, Railway Board (Rolling Stock). This is the first such plant of the Indian Railways network and the third such plant around the country. The total cost of installation is Rs 1.79 crore and the maintenance cost of the plant is Rs 10.4 lakh per annum.
According to the ECoR zone, the waste to energy plant is a vital initiative as a big chunk of non-ferrous scrap is generated in Indian Railways workshops for which there is no appropriate method of disposal and treatment. As a result, the scrap is sent to landfills, which is environmentally precarious as its treatment is difficult. In order to deal with this problem, the East Coast Carriage Repair Workshop has arisen with an innovative way to solve this problem, with a patented technology known as ‘Polycrack’.
Polycrack is the process which transforms multiple feedstocks into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, carbon as well as water. The waste which is accumulated from the carriage workshop, the coaching depot and railway stations at Bhubaneswar will become the feeder material for the waste to energy plant. The energy which will be generated at the plant will be in the form of light diesel oil and this oil will be used to light furnaces.
