Prayagraj bio-CNG project all set to ‘sell’ its biogas

In a major stride toward sustainable waste management and clean energy production, the bio-CNG plant at Arail in Prayagraj is ready to commence commercial operations. The facility, which converts organic waste into compressed natural gas, will begin supplying bio-CNG to Indian Oil Corporation and Adani Gas Pipeline Limited in mid-October.

Initially, the eco-friendly fuel will be distributed through designated filling stations for use in vehicles. The project marks a significant milestone in promoting green mobility and reducing dependence on conventional fossil fuels.

The Prayagraj bio-CNG project was inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in October 2024, just before the Mahakumbh. The project was operationalised by Enviro Resource Management Private Limited in July 2025.

Since mid-July, the Built on 12.49 acres plant has been processing about 12 tonnes of wet waste daily, generating nearly five tonnes of Bio-CNG. However, due to the absence of a commercial distribution network, the gas was being released into the atmosphere.

With new tie-ups now in place and regular waste supply from the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) — around 100 tonnes per day — the plant is consistently producing five tonnes of Bio-CNG daily. This output is sufficient to meet the fuel demand of nearly 1,000 vehicles each day.

As per reports, the first operational phase will focus exclusively on supplying Bio-CNG for vehicular use. In subsequent phases, once full production capacity is achieved, the fuel will also be distributed to households in Prayagraj and nearby areas for cooking purposes. Plans are already being prepared to lay pipelines to facilitate this domestic supply.

The Arail Bio-CNG plant has a substantial potential for expansion. With an increased supply of up to 320 tonnes of organic waste per day, production could rise to 20 tonnes of Bio-CNG daily — enough to cater to the cooking needs of approximately 40,000 households and power around 3,000 vehicles.

Prayagraj produces approximately 600 tonnes of waste daily. Uttar Pradesh’s bioenergy policy (2022) aims to establish 100 biogas plants, offering incentives like full exemption on stamp duty for land purchases and 100% reimbursement of state GST for ten years.

As per an estimate, Uttar Pradesh could generate nearly 25% of the country’s total biogas and has the capacity to develop 1,000 compressed biogas projects by utilizing just 20% of its surplus organic material.