In India, cow dung is becoming a surprising hero in the country’s energy story. Farmers like Rukmini Baburao Kumbhar turn cow dung into useful biogas. This biogas helps her community stay fuelled and saves money.

India currently relies heavily on imported gas. However, the government has ambitious plans to change this. By converting cow dung and farm waste into biogas, India aims to curb its dependency on foreign energy. This move could also reduce pollution and support the local economy.

Cow Dung: A Valued Resource

Every day, Rukmini Baburao Kumbhar collects around 50kg of fresh cow dung with her bare hands. She is part of a spiritual group that runs a small ashram in Maharashtra. The cow dung isn’t just for cleaning; it’s turned into biomethane.

“Fuel has become extremely expensive. Biogas was a good option. The only requirement was space and cows. We had both,” explains Ms Kumbhar. The cow dung is mixed with water and put in a bioreactor to produce enough methane for the ashram’s kitchen. Each month, it saves 20 litres of natural gas.

Some guests aren’t thrilled at first, but they get used to it. “Some women from the city are repulsed by the smell or touching the cow dung. But we don’t force them. They eventually get used to it,” she notes. In rural India, where agriculture is a main occupation, touching cow dung isn’t a big deal.

The Government’s Biogas Ambitions

India’s government wants more cow dung and agricultural waste to be converted into biomethane. Biogas plants perform this process using anaerobic digestion. This method involves feeding waste into airtight tanks, where bacteria break down the organic matter. The result is a mixture of gases, primarily methane and carbon dioxide.

At present, India imports about half of its natural gas needs. The government plans to blend natural gas with 1% biomethane by 2025, increasing to 5% by 2028. This strategy aims to reduce gas imports and keep money within the country. Additionally, biogas can cut air pollution, as agricultural stubble can be used in bioreactors instead of being burned.

The material left after the bioreactor process can be used as fertiliser. With government support, larger bioreactors are being constructed. Commercial facilities compress the biogas, making it easier to transport and use as fuel in vehicles.

Challenges and Success Stories

One of the biggest compressed biogas (CBG) plants in Asia is in Lehragaga, Punjab. Opened in late 2022, it converts 300 tonnes of paddy straw into 33 tonnes of biogas daily. Currently, it only produces eight tonnes due to low demand, partly because of its remote location.

In Ludhiana, Punjab, cow dung causes issues due to the high number of dairy cows. Many dairy owners dump waste into public sewers, polluting rivers. However, a large biogas reactor at the Haibowal Dairy Complex processes up to 225 tonnes of dung daily. Built in 2004, there’s a plan to double its output soon.

Rajiv Kumar, responsible for collecting cow dung, faced challenges in the beginning. Farmers were initially suspicious, but now they see it as a source of income. “This cow dung is a mix of cows and buffaloes, so the smell is repulsive, but we all need money at the end of the day to survive,” he says.

A Growing Opportunity

Baljit Singh saw an opportunity with biogas plants. Coming from a farming family in Punjab, he started collecting stubble left over from harvests and selling it to the plant. Convincing other farmers wasn’t easy, but it eventually became a lucrative business.

Mr Singh now has around 200 people working for him, collecting farming waste from 10 villages. “It’s a labour-intensive job. Before the harvest begins, I visit most of the villages to convince the farmers to sell me their agricultural residue,” he explains. The collected residue is chopped or shredded to a specific size for efficient digestion in the biogas plant.

Despite its successes, there are doubts about biogas becoming mainstream fuel. In urban areas, space and smell pose challenges. In poorer rural areas, the cost can be off-putting. “The fuel comes from the forest or agricultural land, which is free. They wouldn’t want to pay a lot for it,” says Kiran Kumar Kudaravalli from SKG Sangha, a non-profit focused on renewable energy.

Environmental and Economic Impact

Biogas technology presents a blend of environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. By converting agricultural waste into fuel, it reduces reliance on imported gas and provides a cleaner alternative to traditional energy sources.

Moreover, biogas plants also help manage waste more effectively. Instead of burning stubble, which contributes to air pollution, farmers can supply it to biogas facilities. The leftover material from the bioreactor serves as an excellent fertiliser, promoting sustainable farming practices.

Despite the challenges, the biogas initiative could revolutionise India’s energy landscape. It offers a solution to some of the country’s most pressing environmental and economic issues. With continuous support from the government and growing participation from the community, this endeavour shows great promise for the future.

Cow dung and agricultural waste as biogas indeed hold a promise of a cleaner and more self-sustaining energy future for India.

Despite challenges like cost and smell, the benefits of reduced pollution and local economic support are undeniable. The continued effort from the government and communities could make this a mainstream fuel source one day.