India’s GOBARdhan scheme could help reduce the country’s natural gas import bill by around $5 billion, according to the Indian Biogas Association (IBA), highlighting the potential of domestic biogas production to strengthen energy security.
The scheme focuses on converting cattle dung, agricultural residue, municipal waste and other organic waste into biogas, compressed biogas (CBG) and other useful forms of energy. By turning waste into fuel, the initiative aims to address both waste management and India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
The Indian Biogas Association has said that scaling up biogas and CBG production under GOBARdhan could significantly increase the availability of domestically produced renewable gas. This could help substitute a portion of imported natural gas used across industries, transport and other sectors.
The push comes as India continues to face a substantial dependence on overseas energy supplies. Increasing domestic production of alternative gases could therefore help lower import requirements while creating additional economic opportunities in the waste-to-energy sector.
CBG is particularly important because it can be used as an alternative to conventional compressed natural gas in several applications. Greater availability of domestically produced CBG could support India’s clean mobility goals while creating demand for agricultural and organic waste as feedstock.
The GOBARdhan programme also has a rural-economy dimension. Converting cattle dung and agricultural waste into commercially useful fuel can create additional income opportunities for farmers, waste collectors and local enterprises.
Beyond reducing imports, the expansion of biogas infrastructure could support cleaner energy production, improved waste management and lower emissions. It can also contribute to a circular economy by converting organic waste into fuel, fertiliser and other useful products.
The IBA’s projection underlines the economic potential of India’s biogas sector. If production capacity and supporting infrastructure are scaled up effectively, GOBARdhan could become an important component of India’s strategy to improve energy security while moving towards cleaner and more sustainable fuel sources.
