India Can Produce 62 MMT of Compressed Biogas a Year, Animal Waste Biggest Source
India's 472 MMT of annual feedstock can yield about 62 MMT of compressed biogas, with animal waste the largest contributor, an Equirus report says.
India has the potential to produce about 62 million metric tonnes (MMT) of compressed biogas (CBG) each year from an estimated 472 MMT of feedstock, with animal waste emerging as the single largest source, according to an Equirus report.
Animal waste accounts for roughly 190 MMT of the available feedstock and could yield close to 25 MMT of CBG — about 41 per cent of the national potential. However, only around 15 per cent of gross dung is collectable, and the report notes that dense rural clusters would be needed to realise this share.
Agricultural residues, including paddy and wheat straw and cane trash, make up another 150 MMT of potential feedstock, capable of generating nearly 20 MMT of CBG. Aggregation remains a hurdle because these residues are available only within a 45-day harvest window.
Municipal solid waste adds about 62 MMT of feedstock with a CBG potential of roughly 5 MMT, though only 50-55 per cent of urban wet and food waste is biodegradable. Sewage treatment plant biomass offers 50 MMT of waste that could produce nearly 10 MMT of CBG, while around 20 MMT of press mud from sugar mills could yield about 2 MMT. Press mud stands out for its favourable economics, given single-point sourcing and no need for pre-treatment.
The report points to several environmental gains from CBG conversion, including curbing stubble burning, improving municipal waste treatment, addressing soil nutrient loss and reducing dependence on imported gas. About 87 MMT of crop residue is burnt annually, and diverting straw to CBG avoids an estimated 0.8-1.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne moved off the field.
In urban waste management, only about 0.92 lakh tonnes per day (TPD) of the 1.70 lakh TPD of municipal solid waste generated is treated. Digestion-based CBG production can capture methane that would otherwise escape from roughly 2,400 dumpsites.
CBG production also yields fermented organic manure as a by-product, which helps return carbon to the soil and counter nutrient depletion. The report cites the Verbio Sangrur plant, which runs 33 tonnes of CBG and 600 tonnes of fermented organic manure daily, as an example.
On the energy security front, domestic biogas can substitute imported gas. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board estimates that India's 472 MMT feedstock base could support around 230 MMSCMD of biogas.