Biogas Technology for Improving Livelihoods and Agricultural Sustainability

Abstract

Biogas is a significant source of energy worldwide. It is renewable, widely produced from organic waste materials, and can significantly improve agricultural sustainability and livelihood in rural areas. Biogas is also known as gobar gas in India. It can be efficiently used for cooking, lighting, and heating. In India, around 32% of the country's primary energy need, still fulfilled by bio-resources use, and about 70% of people depend on it. In the Indian context, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has realized the potential of bio-waste to produce biogas energy and its role in improving livelihoods and agricultural sustainability. The Indian government has initiated several programs to promote effective technology to use various biomass and other bio-waste resources for biogas production and its use in multiple sectors of the economy, including sustainable alternatives toward affordable transportation (SATAT) initiatives. For efficient utilization of biogas, the Indian government plans to provide expedited financial assistance to develop compressed natural biogas (CBG) plants under various priority sectors lending to new projects, especially for micro, small, and medium enterprises. India's biogas-to-electricity project is also implemented to provide electricity in remote areas by reaching off-grid power generation. Worldwide biogas is promoted to improve the green energy mix, decrease imports, and minimize pollution with many other environmental benefits.