COMPRESSED BIOGAS, al-so called bio-compressed natural gas or bio-cng, is just the fuel India needs. With a calorific value similar to that of cng, it can replace the fossil fuel for which India largely depends on imports. Bio-cng also holds a win-win solution to the country's air pollution problem.
Bio-cng is nothing but an advanced version of biogas produced from animal manure and food waste and has been traditionally promoted across rural areas. Bio-cng involves the commercial refining of biogas to increase its methane content to above 90 per cent (see 'How bio-cng is made', p40). Since the plants require these biomass materials in large volumes, they use municipal solid waste and agricultural waste such as paddy stubble the burning of which is a significant cause of air pollution in north India during the winters. Moreover, the residue or digestate obtained at the end of bio-cng production can be used as biofertilizer.
So, when Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her recent budget speech, announced the setting up of 200 bio-cng plants in the country, it garnered a lot of attention. The proposed bio-cng plants, 75 of which will be in urban areas, are part of the gobardhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) scheme under the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin February 16, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Down To Earth dergisinin February 16, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara