In India, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has held a virtual foundation stone ceremony marking the start of construction of the Leafiniti Bioenergy compressed biogas (CBG) plant in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Speaking via video conference on November 27, 2020, Shri Pradhan said that the Government is working to provide cleaner and sustainable energy.
Being developed by Leafiniti Bioenergy Pvt Ltd, a start-up company, the plant will utilize 200 tonnes per day of press mud to generate around 10.2 tonnes per day of CBG along with biofertilizer. With technologies supplied by Praj Industries Ltd and DVO Inc, the plant is expected to cost around INR 42 crores (≈ EUR 4.75 million).
Speaking via video conference Shri Pradhan said that the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative was launched in 2018 as part of Prime Minister Modi’s vision to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and have an alternative source of clean fuel for transport. Over the last two years, it has grown into one of the flagship programs of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
SATAT will establish an ecosystem for the production of CBG from various waste and biomass sources in the country leading to multiple benefits. Using agricultural and municipal wastes to produce gas under SATAT will reduce carbon emission and also fulfill the Government’s commitment to COP-21. It is also in line with the Swachh Bharat Mission of the Government.
The Minister strongly encouraged young entrepreneurs to invest in the initiative for creating a vibrant biogas system saying that CBG plants provide a win-win situation for all the stakeholders.
Various supports offered to CBG plants like floor price guarantee of CBG produced for 10 years, the inclusion of CBG in priority sector lending by the RBI, subsidy scheme, and support by various state government w.r.t allotment of land, etc have set the congenial ecosystem. It is now the turn of entrepreneurs and corporates to invest in the initiative for greater socio-economic returns, Minister Pradhan added.
Talking about the efforts being to move towards a ‘gas-based economy’ in India, the Minister said that last week, the Ministry has signed Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) with leading private sector energy companies for establishing about 900 CBG plants and also with technology partners for facilitating technological support for the projects.
Furthermore, Minister Pradhan said that 600 Letter’s of Intent (LoI) have already been issued for the CBG plants. He said that the entire society will appreciate these initiatives, for garbage disposal, solid waste management, and Waste to wealth conversion. With more number of private sector participation, the mission of achieving indigenous and sustainable production of clean fuel would be a game-changer.
The Minister informed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between North Delhi Municipal Corporation with IOCL on November 26, 2020, for a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant at Ranikhera in Delhi, which will help generate CBG from 2 500 tonnes per day of municipal solid waste (MSW) and also reduce pollution.
