Innovative Waste-to-Charcoal Plant in Varanasi: A Game Changer for Sustainable Waste Management
Transforming Waste into Green Energy
Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister, Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, recently toured the innovative waste-to-charcoal facility located in Ramana, Varanasi. His visit aimed to explore the plant's cutting-edge zero-residue technology for managing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).
This facility utilizes a torrefaction method, which involves thermochemical treatment of waste at temperatures ranging from 250 to 300 degrees Celsius in a controlled oxygen environment.
During this process, moisture and volatile components are extracted, converting the waste into torrefied charcoal. This charcoal is hydrophobic, rich in carbon, and serves as a high-calorific-value fuel that can effectively replace fossil coal.
Mahapatra praised the initiative, stating, “The Ramana waste-to-charcoal plant is a groundbreaking model for sustainable solid waste management. By converting waste into green fuel, we can eliminate landfills, lower carbon emissions, and enhance energy security.
Odisha is committed to implementing similar innovative, zero-residue technologies in our cities to foster a cleaner and greener future.”
A plant with a capacity of 400 tonnes per day (TPD) can prevent 13 TPD of methane emissions and generate approximately 390 carbon credits through same-day waste processing.
It has the potential to produce 100 TPD of green charcoal, which can replace an equivalent amount of fossil coal.
This transition results in a reduction of 250 to 290 TPD of carbon emissions, providing substantial climate advantages.
The minister was joined by Binaya Kumar Dash, additional secretary of the H&UD department, Ashish Ranjan, DGM (WTE) of NTPC in Varanasi, and other important officials.
The Varanasi Municipal Corporation has allocated 16 acres of land for the facility, along with necessary trunk infrastructure support.
Notably, NTPC has embraced this model as part of its CSR initiative, successfully utilizing torrefied charcoal in its thermal power plants, thereby decreasing dependence on traditional coal.