‘Utilising 7.3 MT straw can produce Rs 270 cr in renewable gas per year’

New Delhi: India can generate renewable gas worth nearly Rs 270 crore annually by diverting the 7.3 million tonnes (MT) of paddy straw currently burnt in fields to biogas plants, the Indian Biogas Association (IBA) said on Sunday. Modern anaerobic digestion technology can convert this residue into Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG), offering a viable substitute for imported natural gas.

Paddy straw, with its 40 per cent cellulose content, is also a strong feedstock for bioethanol production and could help achieve import substitution of about Rs 1,600 crore, the IBA said. The remaining lignin can be used to produce high-value materials such as polymers, activated carbon, graphene and resins.

IBA estimates the policy push for CBG could attract investments of Rs 37,500 crore and enable the establishment of 750 CBG plants by 2028-29, reducing LNG imports and strengthening energy security. It also aligns with emerging biofuel goals, including 1 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel blending for international flights by 2027.

The association highlighted the environmental cost of stubble burning, noting that each tonne of straw burnt emits around 1,460 kg of CO₂, 60 kg of CO, and 3 kg of particulate matter. Instead, converting straw into bioenergy and other products can curb pollution and create value. IBA also stressed nature-based solutions such as large-scale plantation drives, urban green shields, Miyawaki forests and community “Adopt a Tree” initiatives.

Delhi alone planted over 2.5 million saplings in 2023, showing the potential of integrated green strategies.