Under the auspices of the Global Methane Initiative, U.S. EPA developed a report, “Market Opportunities for Anaerobic Digestion of Livestock and Agro-Industrial Wastes in India,” to help inform project developers, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders about the potential for biogas capture and use in India.

Recent developments in India that have spurred these opportunities include: Increasing energy demands and growing interest in using renewable energy sources to meet that demand; Environmental concerns associated with manure and agro-industrial waste management; New and/or modified national policies supporting AD and renewable energy development; and Opportunities for potential “green” job growth as a result of an expanding AD market.

The report is divided into 5 sections:

• Uses of Biogas and Digestate: Multiple purposes for biogas include cooking, transportation, heating, and cooling. Digestate uses include soil amendment, fertilizer, or compost product.
• Current Biogas Policies and Incentives: Objectives of India’s policies vary, including improved manure management, reduced dependence on oil and gas imports, and improved sanitation at the village level.
• Biogas Potential from Agricultural Feedstock: Overview of various agricultural feedstocks in India that can be used as input into AD systems, and estimates of potential for methane emissions reduction and methane production for use as an energy source. Sectors include dairy farms, sugarcane processing, distilleries, fruit and vegetable processing, cornstarch production, tapioca production, and milk processing. Information helps to guide industry developers, financiers, and policymakers when determining where to focus their efforts on biogas development in India.
• Technology Options: Current anaerobic digester technologies used in India and their key attributes are discussed to help guide technology providers and project developers as to alternatives that may be appropriate in the country. Systems range from small-scale digester technologies used at a household or farm level to medium- and large-scale systems used on a commercial scale.
• Business Models and Case Studies: Key aspects of successful AD systems, potential owner and operator models, and diversification of revenue generation are covered, along with case studies to highlight successful business models primarily from India.