Delhi govt to use engines of CNG buses for gensets

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is working on a possibility of using scrapped CNG standard floor buses' engines for making CNG generator sets.

In a recent meeting of Delhi Transport Department (DTC), officials were asked to prepare a draft and explore the possibility of converting bus engines into gensets, which can be used for government offices.

Officials said these engines are more powerful than an SUV's engine. "The Board considered the agenda item and directed that the possibility of CNG-based generator sets may be explored… power generation taking into account all the parameters with regard to pollution, etc, and also the financial implications arising out of it," said a DTC official.

The main benefits of CNG generator are clean compared to coal, gasoline, diesel and oil, as CNG is the cleanest-burning fossil fuel available.

Natural gas gensets would be good for Delhi as they won't produce soot like coal or oil-fueled generators. Cost effective compared to oil or diesel, CNG is much cheaper pollution-free emissions of nitrogen and sulfur are lower with a CNG generator.

"The silent CNG gas generator comes with power ranging from 10 KVA to 80 KVA. If possible, we can create generators of approximately 30 KVA from one engine. We can have more than 150 gensets made from scrapped standard floor buses. We are trying to rope in manufacturers who assemble engines and build CNG generators. These engines have a power of almost 150 BHP and easily provide electricity to bus depots, large offices, etc," the official said.

Officials said that DTC's chief general manager will give a detailed presentation on the matter at the next meeting after analysing the financial burden on the department. "If everything goes well, we expect initiating the process of using bus engines for generators by the next financial year," the official added.