Indian city becomes Waste to Energy model

Indian Minister for Water Resources and Medical Education inaugurates the innovative Waste to Energy Plant of Nashik.

The Indian Minister for Water Resources and Medical Education, Mr. Girish D. Mahajan, inaugurated a Waste to Energy Plant in Nashika at the end of November. The plant treats biodegradable waste and septage generated in the mayor city, which lies in the northern part of Maharashtra state. The plant also generates energy in the form of biogas which will be fed into the Maharashtra power grid. This solution will generate energy from urban waste through co-processing of septage (faecal sludge) with organic solid waste. The construction of the plant was supported by the “Waste to Energy” Project funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Environment Ministry (BMUB).

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Girish Mahajan said “this plant will help solve many solid waste management and septage management issues of the city of Nashik. The city will become cleaner and healthier. This innovative model is something that the other cities of Maharashtra should come forward and replicate”.

The project showcases a viable business model for implementation of waste to energy projects through a Public Private Partnership (PPP). It is suitable as a model to develop and replicate sustainable waste to energy technology with the potential of reducing investment costs for the public sector and achieving sustainability in operation. The project closes the loops by creating additional benefits, such as reduction of carbon footprint and resource efficiency, which is of utmost importance for India as a rising economy in mitigating environmental impacts.

The Waste to Energy Project in Nashik is a joint project of Nashik Municipal Corporation and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.