India produces a staggering 230 million tonnes of agricultural waste every year, which can be converted into bio-CNG, biofuels, and biomass energy to reduce pollution, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, and increase farmer income. To achieve energy self-reliance, the country needs to treat agricultural waste as a valuable source of energy. Currently, much of this waste is dumped in landfills or burned openly, polluting the environment, particularly in Northern India where it contributes to a thick layer of smog during winters.
Converting crop residues into bio-CNG and biofuels can supplement the national energy mix with renewable sources and address pollution caused by improper disposal of agricultural waste. Bioenergy, in all its forms, is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected that it will meet 15-20% of total energy needs by 2050.
Agricultural residues can be utilized across various industries, including solid compost, biochar, pellets, or briquettes co-fired with coal in thermal power plants, liquid bioethanol, biodiesel, and fertilizers, and compressed biogas (CBG) for cooking, heating, and power generation. The Indian government has launched initiatives such as the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) program and the SATAT initiative to promote the use of bio-CNG.
However, there are challenges to transforming agricultural resources into energy, including the difficulty of maximizing gas yield from various types of agro feedstock, the need for high-grade machinery and skilled teams, and the reliance on imported equipment. Additionally, the use of Napier grass as a feedstock has raised concerns about the potential impact on food crops.
Despite these challenges, the potential for renewable energy is immense, and the government is taking proactive measures to promote it, including reducing GST on renewable energy devices and parts. A long-term view of using agricultural waste can help tackle the dual challenge of pollution and energy security, creating lakhs of jobs and a new industrial ecosystem to support growth. By leveraging agricultural waste as a valuable source of energy, India can move closer to achieving its goal of Net Zero by 2070.