Compressed Biogas key to India's energy security; Industry flags infra, off-take challenges

New Delhi, [India] July 3 (ANI): Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) is emerging as a key pillar of India's energy transition, with industry leaders highlighting its role in enhancing energy security, reducing import dependence and addressing infrastructure challenges critical for the sector's growth.
On the sidelines of a CII conference, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) Business Head (Gas) Rahul Tandon underscored the strategic importance of domestically produced bio-gas in strengthening the country's energy ecosystem.
"...Given the recent situation, our gas procurement actually came under a lot of vulnerability... Our government has been very closely working on creating CBG (Compressed Bio-Gas) as one very important imperative and a molecule which can help us in improving our own security because it is indigenized, it is produced within the country, and it helps us replace the imported molecule," Tandon told ANI.
Highlighting the need for collaborative efforts, he added, "The forum is gathered here to see how we can work together along with industry, academia, institutions, ministry, and regulatory bodies, how we can all get together and come to a point where this does not remain just a lending obligation, but something which is serving the national cause and our commitment towards sustainable energy."
Meanwhile, GAIL India Limited Executive Director (CBG) Sachchidanand Yadav noted that ensuring gas off-take remains one of the biggest hurdles for scaling up the CBG sector in the country.
"The challenge of the off-take is one of the biggest issues for the expansion of the CBG (Compressed Biogas) sector in India. Off-taking of the gas is an issue which can be addressed by laying the pipeline either by CBG producers or CGD entities. CBG producers largely have no experience with the standards of oil and gas. Certainly, the responsibility lies with the CGD entity, the National Gas Read Operator. But laying the pipeline is very costly... Even the incentive from the Development of Pipeline Infrastructure (DPI) scheme under the Ministry..." Yadav said.
Industry stakeholders have been focusing on expanding CBG production and strengthening the supporting infrastructure to accelerate adoption of the clean fuel. The sector is expected to play a significant role in India's efforts to improve energy security, promote sustainable mobility and advance its clean energy goals. (ANI)