• Village: BHITBUDRAK

• Taluka: UCHHAL
• District: SURAT
• State: GUJARAT
• Country: INDIA
Bhint  Jilla /Taluka
Budrak Panchayat
Village Surat
 Presently most of the Biogas plants installed traditionally are either 
defunct or working unsatisfactorily and inefficiently. 

The studies reveal following reasons for the above status:

1. The Digester loadings such as cattle dung and water are                                  
not thoroughly mixed which results into either non‐generation of gas or 
lesser quantity gas production.

2. Due to the quality and pressure of the gas produced is being 
insufficient, it cannot be transported to far of houses with required 
pressure.
The above constraints and defects were rectified and corrected 
by  Gram Vikas Trust. 
The mixture of cattle dung and water are stirred in required
proportion uniformly and thoroughly by a mixing mechanism
with proper air circulation.
This results into maximum generation of the gas and utilization of
the plant capacity.
As such, with the help of pressure regulating tank and
mechanism, the gas can be distributed to individual households
with uniform pressure as is done in case of CNG in major cities.
Recently, Gram Vikas Trust, introduced GOBAR BANK concept and has
manufactured, installed and commissioned 2 Gobargas Plants in
Bhintbudrak village in Uchhal Taluka, Dist. Surat.
The plants are of 85 M3 capacity each totaling to 170 M3 of biogas
generation per day.
The gas is further purified and distributed satisfactorily to 121 houses
through pipeline. The design of the plant emphasizes the use of
minimum motive power as compared to plant total power output.
Apart from the above application, the purified biogas with maximum
content of Methane can be used to generate electricity through gas
generators and also can be bottled and used to run the vehicles. The gas
purification systems are developed by Gram Vikas Trust.
(1) Loading Platform

• The Gobar Bank 
members bring the dung 
everyday to the 
community biogas plant 
which is weighed and 
accounted for in their 
pass books.
(2) Slurry Preparation
• The cattle dung taken from 
dung loading platform area 
is delivered to feed 
preparation tank section. 
• The fed dung is mixed with 
water for maintaining ratio 
of 1:1 for fresh cattle dung 
and 1:1.25 for stale (hard) 
cattle dung. 
• The mixture is then 
mechanically mixed to have 
homogeneous slurry.
(3) Anaerobic Digestion

• Anaerobic digestion tank  
(biogas digester) creates an 
anaerobic condition to 
generate methane gas by 
methanogenic bacteria.
• The digester employed here 
is mostly KVIC model with 
floating dome & water 
jacket. 
• The water jacket helps in 
curbing the methane 
leakage and wastage.
(4) Common Collecting Tank

An intermediate gas 
storage  before Pressure 
regulating tank for 
distribution to concerned 
beneficiaries.
(5) Pressure Regulating Tank

• Gas is compressed by 
blower and fed to the 
pressure regulating tank 
where gas is upgraded 
due to the passage of 
pressure
 EARLIER

ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCE – SMOKE FROM WOOD BURNING
 NOW

An happy villager with her biogas connection and equipment
The Slurry being transported to composting pits.
The Compost.
¾The slurry generated by these biogas
plants are being converted into Vermi‐
Compost for Organic Farming.
¾This Compost is very good fertilizer for the
agriculture having rich nutrient values.
Vermi- Compost Unit
Entrepreneurship Models on Biogas for Rural Areas
Large Scale/ Community level Biogas Enterprises for
Cooking needs- Pipeline supply and Rural Sanitation and
bio manure production
I. Size of Biogas Plant‐ 85 m3/day
• No. of families Beneficiaries—50
• Cow dung required—2 Tons/day‐ Rs 250/Ton
• A complex of 20 community toilets
• Gas utilization—Cooking
• If for Cooking – 2 hrs. morning & 2 hrs. evening(1.5 m3/family
per day)
• Pipeline length—up to 1km. distance
• Pipe quality—HDPE, pressurize system—0.3 kg./cm2(Rs. 2.5
lacs cost)
• Gas charge—150/month‐family
II. Raw material—Cow dung+ Toilet (community-20
toilets costs 1.5lacs)
III. Slurry Management—Biogas digested slurry
Four options-
1. Liquid slurry
2. Recycle water (upto 40 to 50% only)
3. Dry slurry
4. Semi dry
750 kg semi dry slurry @ Rs 2/- per kg costs Rs 1500/day
•Local consumption of slurry is advised
•Quality of slurry should be maintained
 Cost
• Plant Cost – Rs 4,50,000/‐
• Pipe Line Cost – Rs 1,50,000
• Appliances 50*400 – Rs 20,000
• Pressurizing System – Rs 2,00,000
• Manpower ( Mechanic – 5000, Helper ‐3000 ) – 96,000
Income‐
• Gas – 150*50 – Rs 7500/ month = Rs 90,000/yr
• Slurry – Rs 1500/day = Rs 5,00,000/yr
• CDM Benefits – Rs 71,000/yr
 Cost estimates
•Non‐ recurring cost—Rs. 8,20,000 ($ 20,500)
•Recurring/ Variable cost—Rs. 2,12,000 ($ 5300)
•Manpower‐‐ Rs.96,000 ($ 2400)
•Depreciation—Rs.80,000 ($ 2000)
•Sum of recurring cost‐ 3,88,000 ($ 9700)
•Revenue generation‐ 5,90,000‐3,88,000=
Rs.2,02,000 (& 5050)
Note‐ In addition to this Carbon credit benefit to the
tune of Rs.71,000/yr. ($ 1775) will also be available.
2. Large Scale/ Community level Biogas Enterprises for Electricity
Generation and supply for domestic consumption, water supply and
community consumption and Rural sanitation

• 15 KVA Power Generating System from ‐ 85 m3/day Biogas Plant

• No. of families Beneficiaries—50
• No. of Animals—200
• Cow dung required—2 Tons/day‐ Rs 250/Ton
• Gas utilization— Electricity
• Domestic connection—2CFL, 1 Fan= 100 Wt.*50=5000Wt.
• Water supply connection—4000 Wt.
• Community Hall—2 CFL, 2 Fan & 1 TV.= 500 Wt.
 Cost

A. Non recurring
Plant Cost – Rs 4,50,000
Electricity distribution cost – Rs 2,00,000/‐
Genset Cost – 15 kW – Rs 1,00,000
Genset Room Cost – Rs 1,00,000
Sum  ‐ Rs 8,50,000
B. Recurring  
Manpower ( mechanic – 5000, helper – 3000) – Rs 90,000
Raw Material – 1,62,000
Miscellaneous – 50,000
Depreciation – 85,000
Sum = 3,87,000
 Cost estimates
A. Non recurring
Sum =8,50,000 ($ 21,250)
B. Recurring
Sum=3,87,000 ($ 9675)
Income—
Electricity supply 130 unit @ Rs.6 per unit *365 = Rs.2,84,700/yr. ($
7117)
Slurry—Rs.1500/day= Rs.5,00,000/yr. ($ 12,500)
CDM benefits – Rs.71,000/yr. ($ 1775)
Sum= Rs.7,84,000 ($ 19,600)
Surplus—
Rs. 7,84,000‐3,87,000=  Rs. 3,97,000 ($ 9925)
 Cylindering of methane available from biogas plant for
tractors and rural vehicles and production of bio manure

Feasibility analysis for a community biogas plant of 300 M3 per day capacity with biogas 
enrichment and bottling plant has been shown below.

Dung requirement ‐
For 300 cum. Biogas Plant          = 6000 Kgs.
Assuming cost of Dung              = 0.20 Rs/kg.
Cost of Dung for Biogas plant   = 1200 Rs. per day.
CAPITAL COST –
1. Bio Gas Plant (Digester) Provided by Buyer (@Rs. 
3000/‐ per cubic meter capacity, for 300 cubic meter capacity Rs. 900000/‐)
2. Cost of Scrubbing unit Rs.   6,00,000.00
3. Cost of Compressor Rs.   6,00,000.00
4. C.N.G. cylinders Rs.   2,00,000.00
5. Storage tank Rs.   1,00,000.00
6. Installation Exp. Rs.   2,00,000.00
Total Rs. 17,00,000.00
OPERATION COST ‐
A. Fixed operational cost‐
1. Interest on capital @ 10% per annum= 0.1x 14,00,000 = Rs. 1,40,000 per 
annum
2. Depreciation @ 5% per annum        = 0.05x 42,50,000= Rs.70,000  per 
annum.
Total cost = 2,10,000 per annum

B. Annual Running (Operational) Cost: ‐
1. Dung cost 1200x350                                                      = Rs. 4,20,000 P.A.
2. Labors Cost (1 skilled and 2 unskilled labors) 300x 350 = Rs. 1,05,000 P.A.
3. Electricity cost (10 kWh x12 hr) 360x350 @3/‐ unit   = Rs. 1,26,000 P.A.
4. Repair and Maintenance@ 2% capital cost on 14,00000 = Rs.    28,000 
P.A.

Total cost = 6,79,000 per annum

Sum of Fixed Operation cost and annual running cost: 
=6,79,000+2,10,000 = 8,89,000.00
 Cylindering of methane available from biogas plant for
tractors and rural vehicles and production of bio manure

• Biogas plant of 300 M3 per day capacity with enrichment and bottling
• CAPITAL COST – Rs. 28,00,000.00 ($ 70,000)
• OPERATION COST –
• A. Fixed operational cost‐3,00,000 per annum ($ 7500)
• B. Annual Running (Operational) Cost: ‐12,00,000 per annum
• Total cost of Operation = Rs. 15,00,000 /‐ ($ 37,500)
• Income:‐
• income generate by selling CBG and slurry = Rs. 22,00,000/‐ ($ 55,000)
• Profit = Rs. 7,00,000/‐ ($ 17,500)
• Payback Period = 4 years