Displaying items by tag: Karnataka

India: A group of cement producers in the Kalaburagi district have stopped using refuse-derived fuel (RDF) sourced from Bengaluru on economic grounds after a six-month trial period. Although the manufacturers do not pay for the RDF they say that it costs more than coal once transportation costs are taken into account, according to the Hindu newspaper. RDF from the city is transported over 500km to the plants.

In a meeting with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palik (BBMP), an administrative city council body, one producer alleged that the RDF supplied by the city was not meeting pre-determined agreed moisture content, presentation in compressed bales and that the local government had promised to pay for the transport costs. An official from the BBMP argued back that the body was not prepared to pay transport costs for RDF and that coal costs US$82/t compared to the RDF transport cost of US$34/t. However, the BBMP has agreed to supply RDF in compressed bales and producers have welcome this concession as it will reduce logistics costs.

India: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has arranged a deal with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palik (BBMP), an administrative city council body, to remove excess refuse derived fuel (RDF) in Bangalore. The agreement has arranged to transport 1.3Mt of RDF that has accumulated at six recycling plants in the city for a cost of just under US$0.5m, according to the Hindu newspaper.

High transport costs to move the PDF to cement plants in the north of Karnataka despite giving the RDF to the plants for free have been blamed for the excess of RDF in Bangalore in the south of the state. As an interim measure BBMP officials have asked cement plants to use Corporate Social Responsibility funds to cover the costs of transporting the RDF while it arranges policy on the matter. The government body may seek to ask the state government to subsidise transport costs for the RDF.

India: Bangalore's first refuse-derived fuel (RDF) processing plants are expected to be operational by the end of June 2015. Production will start at low levels before rising to meeting full production capacity. Local government body, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is building two units at Kannahalli and Seegehalli, which will have the capacity to segregate and generate 140t/day of RDF, according to local media.

"We have already roped in four cement manufacturers. There is a lot of demand for RDF and when manufacture starts, we can be assured of consumption," said Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman Vaman Acharya. Bangalore has the potential to generate more than 500t/day of RDF.

It is planned for the RDF produced in Bangalore to be used by cement plants in Kalaburagi district in the north of Karnataka state. However this may more than double the price of the RDF due to transportation costs.