Bio-CNG has been on the Government agenda since 2018, but the challenges faced by this technology remains unaddressed.
What is Bio-CNG?
Bio-CNG - Bio-CNG is also known as Compressed Biogas (CBG).
It is an upgraded version of the humble biogas, the dung-based version of which serves as cooking fuel.
Compressed Biogas proposes to build large biogas plants that will continuously produce biogas from urban, domestic and industrial wastes.
Feedstock - Apart from biodegradable waste, agricultural residue, cow dung and chicken litter and press mud from sugar factories are also used as feedstock in CBG plants.
The biogas produced will be stored under pressure in gas cylinders for easy distribution to urban and semi-urban customers as alternative to charcoal and firewood.
CH4 content - CBG has methane (CH4) content of more than 90% and has calorific value and other properties similar to Compressed Natural Gas.
Application - CBG is used in automotive, industrial and commercial areas.
What is SATAT?
Sustainable Alternative towards affordable transportation (SATAT) was launched in 2018 by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
It envisages targeting production of 15 MMT of CBG from 5000 plants by 2023.
Under SATAT, oil and gas marketing companies are supposed to pick up ready gas from CBG companies.
Advantages
Lesser dependence on crude oil import
Decarbonisation of the economy
Waste management
Job creation
What are the challengesfaced by Bio-CNG technology?
Feedstock availability - The companies are finding it difficult to generate adequate and consistent feedstock.
Segregation of wastes - Badly segregated waste can lead to construction/demolition waste or other hard particles entering the digester which not only reduce its energy efficiency but also damage it.
Investment - High capital investment is stopping small investors from entering the CBG scene.
Limited technical capabilities of municipal bodies - Usually, only one person in the Municipal Solid Waste section is in charge of multiple roles which is too much to handle.
Nascent stage - CBG technology also lacks sector experts at the ground level.
Distribution Challenges - Under the CBG-CGD synchronisation scheme of SATAT, there is a provision for injecting CBG in the city gas distribution (CGD) network.
But the differential tax structure of CNG and CBG is a hurdle for gas distributors from utilising this scheme.
Infrastructure issues - Lack of infrastructure also place uncertainty in the user’s consciousness while making a purchase decision.
Market for manure - It is mandatory for fertiliser companies to offtake fermented organic manure from CBG companies under SATAT as part of Integrated Nutrient Management.
But there are still no buyers.
Farmers also find it expensive to buy as compared to the highly-subsidised chemical fertilisers.
