The Waste to Energy plant at the Moshi waste processing unit in Pune has achieved a significant milestone by reaching its current capacity of 12 MW, with plans for further expansion to 14 MW in the near future. This advanced facility has been established to promote responsible waste management, address environmental concerns, and reduce the ecological impact by transforming waste into electricity. Beyond its environmental benefits, this project also offers economic advantages.
The electricity generated at the Moshi waste depot will be utilized to power various installations within the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), reducing the municipality’s dependence on external sources for electricity. This endeavor aligns perfectly with the Green Open Access Policy of the Government of India, which encourages the generation and utilization of green energy sources.
Approximately 2.0 MW of electricity will be allocated for the operations of the waste to energy project, with the surplus power being supplied to the municipality’s water treatment and sewage treatment plants through open access. The project has been meticulously designed to accommodate the specific waste characteristics of the city, employing a moving grate to efficiently incinerate waste at full capacity.
Notably, this project complies with the Solid Waste Management Regulations of 2016 and employs a Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) to closely monitor emissions. In the context of climate change mitigation, each tonne of incinerated Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) contributes to the reduction of approximately 1982 kg of CO2 emissions, resulting in an annual saving of around 7 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions.
PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh emphasized, “We are not only managing waste scientifically but also harnessing its energy potential to power our installations, resulting in substantial savings on electricity costs. This initiative underscores our commitment to sustainability and aligns with the Government of India’s Green Open Access Policy. We are committed to ongoing innovation for a cleaner and more energy-efficient future for our community.”
It is important to note that Pimpri Chinchwad processes approximately 1,150 tonnes of waste daily. The waste to energy project has set an ambitious goal to generate 14 megawatts of electricity from 700 tonnes of Refused Derived Fuel (RDF). Out of this, 12 MW of electricity will be utilized by the Municipal Corporation. The project operates under a Public-Private Partnership on a Design, Build, Operate, and Transfer (DBOT) basis, with a 21-year operating period.
With the synchronization of the 14 MW Waste to Energy plant with the grid, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) issued a plant commissioning certificate on October 6. As of October 17, the plant has impressively generated a total of 22.88 lakh units of power.
