- The National Biogas Mission should set time-bound deployment targets and implement robust standards.
- A dedicated fund within the National Biogas Mission could unlock blended finance, provide risk-sharing instruments, and reduce project costs.
India stands at a critical point in its clean energy transition. The nation seeks energy independence, aims to decarbonise hard-to-abate industries, and faces growing challenges in managing organic waste. Consequently, biogas offers a unique convergence of solutions.
The World Biogas Association (WBA) INDIA Congress 2025, held on 3–4 December at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi, emphasised this opportunity. The event brought together over 250 delegates and 70 speakers from government, industry, finance, international institutions, and academia.
The Congress impressed with both its scale and the calibre of its participants. Senior officials from the Ministries of New and Renewable Energy and Petroleum and Natural Gas joined representatives from global institutions, including the IEA, IRENA, the World Bank, UNIDO, and GIZ.
In addition, state governments, public sector undertakings, and leading research institutions shared a clear view: biogas has moved beyond pilot projects and small-scale policies. It now requires decisive national action to achieve its full potential and position India as a global leader.
During two days of discussion, biogas emerged as a key element of India’s energy security and circular economy. Unlike many renewable sources, biogas addresses multiple challenges at once. Specifically, it converts agricultural residue, municipal solid waste, industrial effluents, and livestock manure into clean energy. Simultaneously, it produces digestate, which can replace chemical fertilisers.
Furthermore, biogas supports decentralised energy systems, strengthens rural livelihoods, reduces methane emissions, and provides a credible route to decarbonise transportation, industry, maritime, and aviation fuels.
However, India’s biogas sector remains fragmented. Policies are scattered across ministries, while state-level implementation varies. Finance is also limited due to perceived risks around feedstock, offtake agreements, and long-term profitability.
Congress participants repeatedly stressed that minor policy tweaks are insufficient. Thus, India requires a cohesive framework to coordinate policy, capital, infrastructure, skills, and markets on a large scale.
A National Biogas Mission can deliver this. It would provide long-term policy stability, clear targets, dedicated financing, and institutional coordination, similar to past initiatives in solar and green hydrogen. In addition, the mission must invest in people and institutions. For example, it should focus on capacity-building at state and municipal levels, strengthen public–private partnerships, promote indigenous technologies, and emphasise women’s participation.
India already has ample feedstock, expanding gas infrastructure, strong industrial demand, and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Yet, it lacks a unified national effort. Therefore, if India aims to become a global leader in clean energy while tackling waste and climate challenges, a National Biogas Mission is essential. The time to act is now.