Rapid Fire
India’s First Cooperative Compressed Biogas Plant
- 06 Oct 2025
- 3 min read
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation inaugurated India’s first cooperative multi-feed Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in Kopargaon, Maharashtra.
- The plant will produce 12 tons of CBG daily and 75 tons of potash from jaggery/molasses, reducing imports.
- Compressed Biogas (CBG): It is a renewable fuel produced from biomass and organic waste (agricultural residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, sewage) via anaerobic decomposition (breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen).
- Properties: Similar calorific value (amount of energy released on complete combustion) to CNG. CBG can replace CNG in automotive, industrial, and commercial sectors.
- CBG Benefits:
- Eco-Friendly: Cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, supporting India’s target of net zero emissions by 2070.
- Waste Management: Converts organic waste into fuel, reducing pollution and promoting a circular economy.
- Energy Security: Reduces oil imports and increases the share of natural gas in India’s energy mix (currently ~6%, targeted 15% by 2030).
- India’s Initiatives:
- SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) Scheme: Aims to produce CBG by utilizing 62 Million Metric Tonnes of annual waste, thereby reducing import dependence, generating jobs, and lowering vehicular emissions and pollution.
- National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC): Plans to support 15 sugar mills via NCDC for CBG and potash units.
|
Feature |
CBG (Compressed Biogas) |
CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) |
|
Source |
Produced from biomass and organic waste. |
Extracted from fossil fuels (natural gas fields) |
|
Environmental Impact |
Eco-friendly, reduces air pollution (e.g., stubble burning), utilizes waste, supports circular economy |
Cleaner than petrol/diesel but fossil fuel-based, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions if not captured efficiently. |
|
Dependence on Imports |
Can be produced domestically from local biomass, reducing import dependence |
Import dependency in the case of natural gas was at 50.8% in FY25, increasing foreign dependence |
|
Commercial Viability |
Supports rural employment and renewable energy initiatives |
Conventional energy source, limited scope for rural livelihood creation |
| Read more: India's Green Future through BioCNG |
