100 new biogas plants likely to come up in UP

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the inauguration of eight new compressed biogas plants in Uttar Pradesh as an indication of the state’s great clarity on the issue of clean energy.

Speaking at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence, the Union minister said that while the PM had set clear targets for the country, when it came to the state, the ambitions were higher. “While 37 such plants have been sanctioned/inaugurated, the (state) government has committed to 100 plants,” Puri said.

A plant in Badaun, spread over 50 acres, in which Rs 135 crore is invested, will produce 14 tonnes of compressed biogas in a day. This was inaugurated on Friday and eight new plants got the go-ahead today.

In addition to the incentives given by the Union government, the state offers a grant of upto Rs 20 crore under the bio energy policy. The leased rent is low and electricity subsidies are also offered. Since agriculture residue is available for a short period of time, machines are needed to collect it optimally and the state government provides grants for the same.

Burning of agriculture residue releases a number of toxic emissions which are hazardous to health. India uses some 5 million barrels of petroleum every day, with about six crore people visiting pumps daily. “Our economy is growing three times faster than any other economy in the world; hence it is crucial that we turn to bio-fuels,” Puri said.

UP government implemented the State BioEnergy Promotion Programme—2018 to promote bio-energy enterprises in the state. In addition to the above mentioned facilities, the programme also offers 100 per cent reimbursement of state GST for 10 years and 100 per cent exemption in stamp duty on the purchase of land for the establishment of these enterprises.

Adityanath, meanwhile, said that his government was committed to implementing the prime minister’s vision of ‘waste to energy’.

The state’s policy also focuses on alternative arrangement of feed stock for bio-energy plants, non-edible oil seeds/plantation of crops like karanj, neem, castor and jatropha. Small rotation crops likes jowar and energy grass are to be planted to create additional feed stock for the production of bio-energy in the state. The work of plantation and production and value chain development of non-food oilseed crops, small rotation crops and energy grasses is to be done through farmer-producer companies or rural entrepreneurs on barren and infertile lands of farmers and village panchayats.