Biogas Plants are changing for Good!

The world's first biogas plant was built in 1859 in a leper colony in Mumbai (Bombay), India. Over the years, Biogas in India has emerged as a promising renewable technology to convert agricultural, animal, industrial and municipal wastes into energy. India's biogas market is expected to grow from $1.47 billion in 2022 to $2.25 Billion in 2029 at a CAGR of 6.3% in the forecast period, 2022-2029.

Small biogas systems predominantly exist in rural areas with capacities ranging from 1 to 10 m3 of biogas per day. Household biogas digesters primarily use animal manure and agricultural waste as feedstocks, producing biogas and biofertilizer that can be used as organic fertilizers.

Programs promoting small biogas technologies have been running since the 1970s. The biogas development program launched in 1981 was part of a multipronged approach adopted to alleviate the rural energy crisis. These efforts gained over 5 million biogas customers in India, but they could not win the hearts and minds of rural farmers. The key challenges identified in a 2017 report on conventional biogas approaches highlighted barriers such as social biases, technological and infrastructural issues, lack of awareness, quality of installation and digester materials, and regulatory frameworks.

However, it is time to move forward and look towards a brighter future. The onset of modern biogas plants in India is good news for Indian dairy farmers, and the impacts of these modern biogas plants on small farms are immediate.

Farmers can save money and time by eliminating fossil and biomass fuels. They can also improve the health conditions of their household and farms by treating animal manure and eliminating smoke from kitchens and work areas. Access to organic fertilizer can help build soil, improve yields, and increase the nutrient profile of crops. Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides not only reduces farm expenses, but also improves soil health and long-term yields. By switching to clean fuels, reducing use of chemical fertilizers, and treating organic waste, farmers can reduce the majority of their GHG emissions, reduce local pollution, and make their farms more resilient and climate-smart. Starting from this platform, farmers can add water storage, efficient irrigation systems, additional energy appliances, and other farm infrastructure.

The characteristics of Modern Biogas technology start with understanding the gaps around:

1.????Production and utilisation of farm waste.

2.????Materials used for manufacturing biogas reactors.

3.????Daily usage and maintenance of biogas plants.

4.????Quality & pressure of biogas entering the kitchen of every household.

5.????Quantity and quality of biofertilizer produced and stored for future use.

6.????Trainer engineers for installation and farmer training.

7.????Providing 24 x 7 support to all biogas customers.

Modern biogas plants, although using the same age-old principle of converting waste into renewable natural gas, stand out in generating an ideal quantity of fuel for cooking, heating, running productive agricultural activities, and producing decentralized electricity. These biogas plants are affordable, durable, portable, and require almost zero maintenance. Here are some unique features of these modern biogas plants.

Farmers all across the world have been using these modern biogas plants and have changed their lives for the better. These biogas plants are very simple to operate and provide high levels of durability, with a shelf life of 15-20 years.

The plants are portable and do not lock a piece of land in the farmer's backyard. The gas from these flexible plants travels naturally to the kitchen, making it a perfect renewable energy device with no dependence on grid electricity. Moreover, the most important feature of these modern biogas plants is their installation speed. A team of two trained engineers can install 2-3 biogas units in a day, giving this technology an edge where mass installations can be planned within a short period.

India has more than 200 trained biogas plant installers and fabricators, but only a few companies are offering this modern biogas technology to farmers. Sistema.bio is one of the few companies available globally and in India.

Sistema.bio India is a social enterprise that provides smallholder dairy farmers with anaerobic digestion technology, services, and financing to increase agricultural productivity and net income. It was founded in Mexico, North America in 2010 and has been serving Indian farmers since early 2017.

Sistema.bio creates change by significantly improving the GHG emissions, economic, and productivity profile of smallholder farmers in a sustainable and scalable way. Its technology, training, and carbon financing model leverage digital and mobile technology to reach farmers globally, adapt to local conditions, and ensure long-term adoption. The company is rapidly growing in the Indian market, reaching over 22 states with high-quality products, various forms of financing, and a long-term service setup. To date, the company has installed 50,000 digesters, impacting over 200,000 people.

Write us to know more about how these modern biogas plants are changing the landscape of India waste to energy market at [email protected]