India gets new 2.88 lakh biogas plants over past decade: Centre

The Modi Government has informed the Parliament that India has added significant bioenergy capacity over the last ten years, installing 2,361 MW of biomass-based power, 228 MW of waste-to-energy capacity and around 2.88 lakh biogas plants across the country.

Sharing the details in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is supporting bioenergy projects under the National Bioenergy Programme (NBP) Phase I. The programme, notified on November 2, 2022, has a budget outlay of Rs 998 crore and will be implemented during the period from 2022-23 to 2025-26.

According to the minister, India’s bioenergy landscape shows uneven progress across states, reflecting differing levels of adoption and implementation capacity. Over the past decade, the Centre has promoted bioenergy through a range of schemes tailored to various feedstocks and applications.

Shripad Yesso Naik said that the schemes include the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) implemented during the 12th Five-Year Plan, the New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP) operational from 2018-19 to 2020-21, and schemes supporting grid-interactive biomass power and bagasse-based cogeneration in sugar mills during the 12th Plan period.

Additional initiatives focused on energy recovery from urban, industrial, and agricultural waste and residues, as well as the promotion of biomass-based cogeneration in sugar mills and other industries between 2018-19 and 2020-21.

Building on these efforts, the National Bioenergy Programme Phase I aims to further accelerate the deployment of biogas, biomass, and waste-to-energy projects, strengthening India’s clean energy transition while promoting sustainable waste management and rural livelihoods.

In 2023, a Parliamentary Standing Committee studying the implementation of the SATAT Scheme for biogas expansion had recommended the government to provide tax benefits to the CBG projects. Before that, MNRE had enlisted the construction of bio-gas plants for individual and community use under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005.