Zone-wise biogas potential in India: fundamentals, challenges, and policy considerations

The current manuscript focuses on the advancements made in establishing zone-based biogas plants in India from 1990 to the present. India generates various types of waste from agricultural, industrial, and human activities. Several methods are available to manage and derive energy from these waste materials, such as incineration, gasification, and anaerobic digestion (AD). Among these options, AD stands out as one of the most viable and environmentally friendly alternatives for biogas production, thanks to its low energy consumption. However, developing biogas plants in developing countries faces significant challenges, primarily due to governments' inadequate application of policy, financial, social, market, information, and technical constraints. To compile this information, data from various agencies in India have been gathered, revealing that 1.81 million biogas plants are currently installed in the West Zone, 1.48 million in the South Zone, 1.106 million in the North Zone, and 0.65 million in the East Zone. These biogas plants across the zones generate 7.02 lakh m³ per day. Additionally, 22 bio-CNG plants produce 84,759 kg/day of compressed biogas, and 201 waste plants generate 330.935 MW of electricity. Recently, the government has emphasized several initiatives, including GOBAR-DHAN, New National Biogas and Organic Manure, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation, and the waste-to-energy program. These initiatives aim to enhance the utilization of waste, promote cleanliness in villages and towns, and support the Swachh Bharat Mission and Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, leading to tremendous overall success.