Grand Challenge: Accelerating the growth of India's biogas economy

Grand Challenge Topic: Accelerating the growth of India's biogas economy to unlock clean energy and rural livelihoods Sector: Energy

Sub-sector: biogas

Code: GC_Energy_25_02

Date of publishing: 31 July 2025

Last Updated: 01 August 2025

Overview

India’s biogas potential exceeds 62 billion cubic metres annually, yet less than 5% is currently utilised. With over 500 million tonnes of agricultural, animal, and organic waste generated each year, India has abundant feedstock to support a thriving biogas economy. Biogas offers a decentralised, clean energy solution particularly suited for rural areas, where it can power households, support small enterprises, and reduce reliance on imported LPG and diesel. Beyond energy, biogas systems generate nutrient-rich slurry that can boost soil health and reduce chemical fertiliser use. Unlocking this sector requires robust policy support, viable business models, and local capacity building.

Categories of Challenges

1. Biogas generation - varying capacities

2. Biogas transportation - varying channels

3. Feedstock streamlining

4. Financial viability

   
   

Key Challenges being taken up

1. Solving for enhanced biogas generation using advanced technologies

2. Establishing a bridge between generated digestate and bio-fertilizer market

3. Solving for better connectivity via pipeline network and other distribution channels

4. Solving for consistent supply in both quality and quantity of organic waste

Workshops

• Next workshop in August 2025

FOAK Impact Projects

• Standardising 1 TPD biogas generation

• Standardising 10 TPD biogas generation

• Standardising 100 TPD biogas generation

• Increasing gas pipeline network coverage

• Producing high quality bio-fertilizer using digestate

Reference Material

• Coming soon.

Insights on Biogas

• Click here for insights on Biogas

National Leads

• Dr. Vinod Tare, Founding Head, cGanga at Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

• Mr. Subhash Kumar, Former Chairman, ONGC

• Mr. Sanmit Ahuja, MD and CEO, Bharatia

Important Links

• Join the Biogas working-group and participate in the grand challenge | Click here to join

• Have a technology to introduce to India - get the solution validated via the ETV programme

• Want to contribute anything to the biogas sector development - then send us the suggestion via the working group.