Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has entered into a joint venture agreement with EverEnviro Resource Management to convert organic waste into compressed biogas (CBG).

The agreement will pave the way for forming a 50:50 joint venture company to advance biofuel adoption nationwide.

The joint venture will focus on integrating advanced biogas technologies to convert organic waste into CBG, a cleaner and renewable energy source.

By leveraging their combined expertise, IOCL and EverEnviro aim to accelerate the deployment of CBG plants nationwide.

These initiatives complement IOCL long-term low-carbon development strategy and achievement of the operational Net Zero goal by 2046.

The National Bioenergy Program, under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, includes various initiatives aimed at biogas generation from FY 2021-22 to 2025-26. Phase-I of the program has been approved with a budget outlay of ₹8.58 billion (~$102.05 million), which provides for ₹1 billion (~$ 11.89 milion) for the Biogas Program to support the setting up of small (1 m3 to 25 m3 biogas per day) and medium size biogas plants i.e., above 25 m3 to 2500 m3 biogas generation per day for corresponding power generation capacity range of 3 kW to 250 kW from biogas or raw biogas for thermal energy/cooling applications.

Recently, another government-owned oil company, Bharat Petroleum, announced a joint venture with Bengaluru-based GPS Renewables to develop CBG projects. Bharat Petroleum plans to construct, operate, and maintain CBG plants across India and sell CBG and its derivatives. Through this venture, it aims to meet its CBG blending obligation mandate.

Earlier this year, MNRE invited proposals for innovative and new design or material-based small biogas projects with a daily generation capacity of 1 to 25 cubic meters. The ministry sought significant changes to existing designs for simple, efficient, cost-effective village-level biogas usage.