Harnessing Dry Digestion for cleaner, greener solutions
The DryQUBE technology, developed by QUBE Renewables, provides a sustainable solution for converting paddy straw into biogas and organic fertilizer, addressing the environmental challenges posed by crop residue burning. Utilizing a patented anaerobic dry digestion system, DryQUBE is optimized for processing high-lignocellulose agricultural waste, such as paddy straw, which is challenging for traditional wet digestion. This innovative approach transforms paddy waste into renewable biogas and nutrient-dense fertilizer, benefiting farmers, reducing pollution, and supporting India’s clean energy transition.
Transforming stubble with optimum efficiency
The DryQUBE technology from QUBE Renewables leverages a specialized dry anaerobic digestion process optimized for high-lignocellulose agricultural residues like paddy straw, which poses challenges for traditional wet digestion systems.
Digestion System Type: Dry Anaerobic Digestion
- DryQUBE’s anaerobic digestion process is specifically designed to handle fibrous and lignocellulose-rich materials, making it ideal for agricultural residues such as rice straw, bagasse, and wheat straw. Unlike wet digestion, which struggles with these materials due to their fiber content, the dry digestion approach used by DryQUBE requires minimal water, making it efficient and resource-conservative.
Feedstock and Catalyst: Paddy Straw with Cow Dung or Retained Leachate
- The system processes paddy straw as the primary feedstock and uses cow dung or retained leachate as a digestion catalyst to optimize biogas yields. This natural catalyst aids in initiating and sustaining the anaerobic bacterial activity needed to convert organic matter into biogas, enhancing energy production efficiency and stabilizing digestion.
Batch Capacity and Multi-Batch System
- Per Batch Capacity Each DryQUBE unit can process up to 150 tons of paddy straw per batch.
- Continuous Supply: DryQUBE employs a multi-batch system that operates through several cycles each year, ensuring a steady supply of biogas and fertilizer. This system is set up to run 3-4 cycles annually per digestor, allowing for continuous production and maximizing output.
Processing Scale and Outputs
- Paddy Waste Processed The system is designed to process approximately 1,560 tons of paddy straw annually, supplemented by 240 tons of cow dung as catalyst material.
- Biogas Output: DryQUBE generates 300-340 kg of compressed biogas (CBG) daily, which can be used as a renewable energy source, contributing to clean energy goals and providing a reliable energy supply to nearby industries or rural power grids.
- Organic Fertilizer Output: The digestion process also produces approximately 1,440 tons of organic fertilizer per year. This nutrient-rich byproduct is ideally suited for agriculture, providing an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers.
Join the Journey of Sustainable Parali
Operational Requirements and Sustainability Features
- Land and Space: The system requires approximately 3-4 acres for setup, including storage and operational spaces for digestors, feedstock handling, and post-digestion processing.
- Water Recirculation: The DryQUBE system integrates water recirculation, ensuring that the minimal water required in the digestion process is reused, reducing water wastage and environmental impact.
- Lifespan: Each DryQUBE plant has a minimum operational lifespan of 10 years, providing long-term sustainability and reliability.
Manpower and Resource Requirements
- Labor: Approximately 20 personnel are needed on a regular basis—10 for batch feeding operations (conducted over a 6-day period per batch) and 10 for ongoing system maintenance and management.
- Power Consumption and Monitoring: The system is equipped for real-time, online monitoring of key performance metrics such as power consumption, biogas production, and fertilizer generation. Data is reported through synchronized hardware and software systems, enabling stakeholders to receive live operational updates and maintain regulatory compliance.
Maximizing resource recovery and reducing parali waste
With funding supported through CSR contributions and gap financing, DryQUBE technology by QUBE Renewables is actively demonstrating its scalability in agricultural settings:
- Pilot Projects: Implemented at Haryana Agricultural University, Hissar, this project has successfully processed large quantities of paddy straw into biogas and organic fertilizer, significantly reducing emissions associated with crop residue burning. Launched in early 2023, this pilot operates with full-time monitoring and biogas optimization for energy efficiency.
- Primary Applications: DryQUBE is ideal for rural communities, farmer cooperatives, and agricultural processing units seeking to manage crop residues sustainably. This system provides local farmers with access to biogas for energy needs and organic fertilizer at subsidized rates, fostering eco-friendly practices and reducing dependency on chemical fertilizers.
- Environmental and Economic Impact: By preventing open burning of paddy straw, DryQUBE helps reduce carbon emissions (up to 424,000 kg annually). Revenue from biogas sales supports the project's long-term operations, while supplying organic fertilizers at subsidized rates to local farmers promotes sustainable agriculture.
- Community Benefits: DryQUBE generates employment by engaging local farmers and workers in collection, processing, and plant operation activities. It also offers training opportunities, empowering rural youth to participate in sustainable agricultural practices, thus aligning with India’s green energy and rural development goals.
QUBE Renewables’ DryQUBE technology effectively closes the waste loop, converting agricultural residue into valuable resources, and setting a sustainable precedent for waste-to-energy projects in India.
Mr. Prashant Singh
CEO, Blue Planet Environmental Solutions
Our dry digestion technology is unique in efficiently converting agricultural waste into CBG and nutrient-rich fertilizers. This rapid, modular (decentralized and in situ) solution tackles air pollution while creating sustainable energy alternatives.
Ms. Shipra Misra
MD & CEO, DRIIV
Innovative solutions that transform agricultural waste into clean energy and valuable by-products play a critical role in reducing air pollution and fostering sustainability. Such technologies pave the way for a cleaner, greener future.