SGCL forays into non-conventional energy

Biotechnology firm Scalene Greenergy Corporation has ventured into non-conventional energy by developing organic natural gas models to process any organic feedstock including food waste and kitchen waste under the brand name Serigas.

"The latest innovation of the company as an offshoot of Scalene energy research institute is development of Micro and Mini models of organic natural gas plants under brand name of Serigas," SGCL Group Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer Rajah Vijay Kumar.

Based on technology of microbial incubated bio reaction systems (MIBR), the Serigas plants are designed to produce natural gas from three kg to 4,000 kg of seeds per day, he told PTI.

The design of the unit is fully modular with scope for expansion along with efficiency of LPG and safety of firewood when used in cooking, he added.

Scalene will be providing MIBR technology to Bangalore based PSU, ITI (Indian Telephone Industries), enabling them to manufacture and distribute the units of serigas plants to individual customers on large-scale.

Ministry of Non-conventional and Renewable Energy would be providing the same to the customers at subsidised price.

The special features of Serigas units includes compact size, minimum site work for installation, nil carbon dioxide emission and carbon footprint is neutral. Also, hydrogen sulphide content in the gas is extremely low, he said.

Besides the mini and micro models that can be installed in households, apartment blocks and SMEs, SGCL has successfully designed larger size models for intake of solid waste ranging from 70 kg to 3,000 kg.

While electricity generation is an option, these models can comfortably produce cooking gas-cum-bio gas in which methane content is only 40-50% as against 90% in other gas generations, he said.

The company has already initiated marketing larger models as turnkey projects.

"Two units are coming up at Bangalore, each with 1MW power generation and similarly one unit is coming up in the coastal area of Kerala utilising spent green/water hyacinth weeds," Kumar said.

"Adjoining a poultry farm in Karnataka, SGCL is installing one power plant unit utilising chicken droppings. All these plants will get commissioned before October this year," he added.