CBDA Joins Forces with GAIL and BPCL to generate compressed biogas

The Chhattisgarh Biofuel Development Authority (CBDA) has signed a pact with GAIL (India) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) to generate compressed biogas (CBG) from urban solid waste in six municipal corporations throughout the state.

State government officials have indicated that there is significant potential for generating biofuel like CBG from urban solid waste within the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation program in Chhattisgarh.

To investigate the feasibility, a three-party agreement was established among the CBDA, GAIL, and BPCL to create CBG plants in the municipal corporations of Ambikapur, Raigarh, Korba, Bilaspur, Rajnandgaon, and Dhamtari. Officials stated that GAIL will establish facilities in Ambikapur, Raigarh, and Korba, while BPCL will implement the agreement in Bilaspur, Dhamtari, and Rajnandgaon.

As part of the agreement, approximately 350 metric tonnes (Mt) of solid waste daily along with around 500 Mt of excess biomass from the six municipal corporations will be utilized for the production of biofuels at the facilities.

The officials stated that these plants will generate approximately 70 Mt of CBG daily. GAIL and BPCL plan to invest around Rs 600 crore. Likewise, the state is expected to obtain a goods and services tax of approximately Rs 6 crore annually from the manufacturing and selling activities of the plants, the officials mentioned.

The initiative will encourage organic agriculture from the by-products produced by the plants. Proper waste disposal will decrease greenhouse gas emissions, helping the state progress toward reaching net zero emissions.