VATIS UPDATE Article

After years of continuous effort, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has finally succeeded in generating electricity from waste for the first time in Nepal. The first test conducted at Teku transfer station to generate electricity from waste has been successful. Though the technical team had already produced biogas from waste before Dashain, electricity production took two more weeks. “Our project has become a success. Now all that remains is the official inauguration of the project,” said Gyanendra Karki, at the KMC office.

According to the KMC office, the three machines cost Rs 18.20 million. The KMC plans to replicate the project in other municipalities if the one-year pilot project succeeds. KMC hopes the waste-to-energy project will make waste management in Kathmandu Valley easier. Besides generating power, the KMC plans to produce 96 kg gas, 300 kg bio-organic fertiliser, and 13,500 litres of purified water daily from the garbage collected at the Teku transfer station. A total of 450 tonnes of garbage is produced in Kathmandu Valley every day. Nearly 63% of garbage is organic waste.

A study by Alternative Energy Promotion Centre said Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, Bhaktapur Municipality, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Kirtipur Municipality and Kalimati fruit and vegetable market alone produce 331 tonnes urban waste daily. KMC had been facing a tough time managing household waste due to lack of resources and technology. The project is expected to assist the KMC in tackling problems created by household waste.