Can biogas aid India’s energy security?, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• India imports nearly 85% of its crude oil and 90% of its LPG needs, making it vulnerable to global energy market disruptions.
• The Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, launched in 2018, aimed for 5,000 Compressed Biogas (CBG) plants by 2023, but only 132 were completed by June 2026.
• The GOBARdhan scheme was introduced to boost CBG production through a 'waste to wealth' program, offering grants and allocating funds for infrastructure.
• The National Biofuels Coordination Committee approved a mandatory blending obligation for CBG, starting at 1% in FY26 and rising to 5% by FY29.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the February 2024 Budget that phased blending of CBG in CNG and Piped Natural Gas would be mandated.

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Detailed Insights:

• Instability in West Asia, particularly due to conflicts like the Israel-U.S.-Iran war, poses a significant risk to India's energy security.
• Biogas, a mixture of methane and CO2 from organic matter, can be processed into Compressed Biogas (CBG), which is chemically identical to CNG.
• Despite policy support, progress in India's biogas sector is hindered by lack of infrastructure, poor private investment, and high upfront technology costs.
• Government financial support, including incentives like accelerated depreciation and tax holidays, is crucial to attract private players.
• The global biogas production is concentrated, with Europe, China, and the United States accounting for 90% of the output.
• Germany's experience with biogas led to a "corn mania," where maize cultivation for feedstock replaced food crops, necessitating government intervention.
• India's Economic Survey 2026 noted a sharp increase in maize cultivation, potentially impacting crop diversity and food security.
• Higher administered prices for maize-based ethanol have made maize cultivation more lucrative for farmers, potentially disincentivizing other crops.
• This trend could increase India's dependence on imports for pulses and edible oils, exposing domestic food prices to volatility.
• Denmark's model, which discourages crop use and relies on livestock manure and agricultural waste for biomethane, offers a sustainable alternative.
• India aims to replicate the success of its ethanol blending program, which achieved a 20% blend in petrol by December 2025, five years ahead of target.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Energy Security: The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price.
• Compressed Biogas (CBG): A renewable, carbon-neutral fuel produced from organic waste, chemically identical to natural gas.
• Anaerobic Digestion: A biological process where microorganisms break down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas.
• Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT): An initiative by the Indian government to promote CBG as an alternative fuel.
• GOBARdhan Scheme: A government initiative focused on managing cattle and organic waste to produce biogas and bio-fertilizers, promoting a 'waste to wealth' approach.