Pursuing green, energy giants like Reliance Industries, Adani Group zero in on biogas
Biogas took off and it has been since powering our kitchens, community facilities and dairy farms.
But now the humble biogas has caught the fancy of some leading energy players of India Inc. Last week Reliance Industries announced its plans to set up 100 compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
Adani Group's Adani Total Gas is planning to set up five CBG plants in the next five years with more to follow in future.
Additionally, Pune-based Thermax has joined hands with EverEnviro Resource Management to establish Thermax Bioenergy Solutions to set up bio-CNG projects. According to industry sources EverEnviro alone has planned an investment of nearly ₹10,000 crore in the segment over the next few years.
EverEnviro's wholly owned subsidiary Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF), is planning to set up 14 CBG plants in the country.
Oil marketing companies aren't far behind. Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) have issued hundreds of letters of intents for setting up of compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
CBG, is a greener fuel produced from waste/biomass sources.
It has properties like compressed natural gas (CNG) and can be used for automotive, industrial and commercial uses.
According to the Indian Biogas Association, the sector will see 5,000 plants being set up by 2030 at an investment of ₹1.75 lakh crore.
So, what changed to make biogas attractive for these companies?
«It's the technical, financial and social aspect of bio-gas,» says Gaurav Kedia, chairman, Indian Biogas Association (IBA).
«The technology is now getting mature, so people can now set up large scale biogas plant. On the financial front, there's not only support from the government's end but also availability
