Taking a firm step towards clean & green energy, an Asia's largest Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant has been commissioned in Sangrur district of Punjab.Disclosing this here today, Punjab New & Renewable Energy Sources Minister Mr. Aman Arora informed that the plant with a total capacity of 33.23 ton CBG per day had been commissioned at village Bhuttal Kalan (Sangrur) in April, 2022.
The plant has now started commercial production of CBG, which is being supplied to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) outlet.In addition to this, PEDA has also allocated 42 additional CBG projects of total capacity 492.58 tons per day (TPD) based on paddy straw and other agro-residue to develop a lasting and sustainable solution to prevent stubble burning problem while also strengthening the rural economy. The Cabinet Minister said that these projects are expected to fetch private investment of around Rs. 1200 crore, besides generating employment opportunities for 8000 skilled/unskilled persons. With these projects, emission of Green House gases will also be reduced and the rural economy will get a boost by providing additional income to farmers from agro residue.
Chief Executive PEDA Mr Sumeet Jarangal said that two more plants of total capacity 14.25 ton CBG per day are likely to be completed in 2022-23. Remaining projects are expected to be commissioned within next three years. All these projects will consume near 16.5 lac ton paddy straw per annum to produce 492.58 ton CBG per day, he added.
Apart from this, fermented organic manure produced from these CBG plants as bi-product will be used for organic farming, which will further help local allied industries to flourish.There is huge potential of CBG projects based on agro-waste in the state of Punjab, said Mr Aman Arora, while adding that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is setting up a project of capacity 100 KL 2G ethanol per day based on paddy straw & other agro-residue in Bathinda district, which would be completed by February 2023. This project will consume about 2 lac ton paddy straw per annum.
He said that about 300 more projects having capacity of 10 TPD each can be set up in the state for which the Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government is providing various incentives including exemption of stamp duty & registration charges, CLU & EDC charges and one stop clearances system through Invest Punjab under State NRSE Policy-2012.