India's Untapped Biogas Potential for Clean Energy and Rural Development
India's biogas sector offers a sustainable solution for waste management, clean energy, rural livelihoods, and climate resilience. Despite abundant feedstock and supportive policies, adoption remains low. Biogas can reduce subsidies, cut emissions, and create jobs, but institutional silos and regulatory gaps hinder progress. A national mission and policy integration are needed to unlock its full potential.
The article highlights India's vast biogas potential from agricultural residues, municipal waste, cattle dung, and sewage. Biogas and compressed biogas (CBG) can address energy needs, reduce subsidy burdens, and improve rural livelihoods. However, despite proven technology and policy initiatives like SATAT, adoption is limited due to pricing, infrastructure, and regulatory issues. The sector could save billions in subsidies, reduce emissions, and create jobs, but requires integrated policy, infrastructure, and institutional support. The authors call for a national mission on decentralized bioenergy, convergence of government schemes, and recognition of biogas as a central solution to India's multi-sectoral challenges. Biogas can also provide dispatchable power, cooling, and green mobility, supporting India's climate and development goals.
