The ongoing LPG shortage is affecting restaurants all over India. At the same time, many restaurants are cutting down their menus or their working hours. This eatery in Bengaluru remains unaffected as it converts the city’s waste into cooking fuel. Want to know how? Read on.
Empire Hotel In Bengaluru Uses Biomethane
In 2023, the iconic Empire Hotel in Koramangala switched to biomethane as its main cooking fuel through a tie-up with a civic waste management unit located next door. As per a report by News18, a biomethane plant at the Kasa Rasa waste management unit was built to process eight tonnes of wet waste into biogas, which supplied around 120 kg of biomethane daily to one of the famous eateries in Bengaluru, The Empire Hotel.
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Talking about the LPG shortage issue, the cluster manager of NKP Empire Hotel Group informed the news portal that they are facing LPG problems across other outlets; only the Koramangala unit is self-sustained because of the biomethane supply contract with the BBMP waste disposal plant next door.
How Does The Biomethane Plant Operate?
According to the news portal, the biomethane plant at the Koramangala waste disposal unit processes eight tonnes of wet waste every day, producing around 120 kg of odourless biogas. After production, the gas is supplied to the Hotel next door via a pipeline. Additionally, on March 21, an additional five-tonne-per-day waste processing was inaugurated amid the LPG shortage.
Biomethane can reduce costs by up to 15% compared to LPG, especially when supplied through pipelines. It also offers environmental benefits by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and helping divert municipal waste. However, the fully operational biomethane plant at the Koramangala waste disposal unit, which supplies gas to the Empire Hotel, is relatively small compared to larger waste-to-energy projects yet to become operational across Bengaluru.
What Is The Process?
The Carbon Master Plant manager at Koramangala, Manjunath, informed the portal about the process behind the biomethane gas production. He stated that BBMP gives them eight tonnes of segregated wet waste, which they shred into small pieces and send for anaerobic digestion. During which gas is produced. Methane is produced along with the unwanted gases.
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He said the gas is first sent to a storage balloon, where it is held before being purified to remove unwanted components such as hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide, leaving only methane. The methane is then stored, compressed, and supplied to the Empire Hotel under a commercial contract for cooking, he added.
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FAQs
Who is the CEO of Empire hotel?
The founder of Hotel Empire is Abdul Rahim Haji. Shakir Haq is the CEO of Hotel Empire.
What is biomethane used for?
Biomethane, a purified renewable gas, is used as a direct, sustainable replacement for fossil natural gas.
What are the disadvantages of biomethane?
The availability of organic feedstock may vary over time and depends on the quality of collection processes.