Authors : Kavita S. Raipurkar
Page Nos : 111-126
Description :
In India, like in many developing countries, demand of energy is continuously increasing but its supply is not increasing proportionally. Currently India is experiencing critical phase of population explosion and therefore more energy requirement. As per US Energy Information Administration electricity consumption in India will grow at the rate of 3.3% per year till the year 2035. In this context, biogas is one of the promising renewable technologies which having ability to convert animal, agricultural, municipal and industrial waste into and non-polluting form of energy and contribute about 9% of the global energy consumption. In India biogas technology was introduced in 1981 as an alternative option for non-renewable energy to combat energy crises. At the national level the estimated potential of biogas power generation up to 2020 by off-grid project was only 7.34 Mwe (Megawatt electrical). The highest potential of biogas generation is done by Tamil Nadu i.e., 1.97 Mwe followed by Karnataka i.e., 1.57 Mwe. Under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) total 50,56139 number of biogas plants were installed from 1981-82 to 2020-21 out of which Maharashtra state has the highest no. of biogas plants i.e., 9,24111 followed by Andhra Pradesh (5,58962), Karnataka (5,10916), Uttar Pradesh (4,40930) and Gujrat (4,35272). Total funds allocated under National Biogas and Manure Management Program (NBMMP) in India from 2018-19 to 2020-21 was Rs. 14, 39, 24,900.00. Being an agrarian country, India has plenty of raw materials available which can be a good source of biogas generation. Also, biogas technology is a vital solution for energy crisis, and is the best renewable source in the context of global warming and greenhouse effect potential and the fast depleting fossil fuels and pollution caused by the same.
