Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India has added 2,361 MW biomass capacity, 228 MWe waste-to-energy capacity, and 2.88 lakh biogas plants in the last 10 years, propelled by various incentives provided by the Government in the push for green energy, the Parliament was informed on December 17.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Yesso Naik said that the ministry supports installation of bioenergy projects in the country under the National Bioenergy Programme (NBP), Phase-I, which was notified on November 2, 2022, with a budget outlay of Rs 998 crore, for the period 2022-23 to 2025-26.
During the last ten years, the government has been supporting bioenergy projects through various schemes, namely the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) during the 12th Five-Year Plan and the New National Biogas &; Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP) from 2018-19 to 2020-21. Besides, the scheme to support promotion of grid interactive biomass power and bagasse cogeneration in sugar mills during the 12th Plan Period, the Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes/Residues during 12th Plan Period, the Scheme to support Promotion of Biomass based Cogeneration in Sugar Mills and other Industries in the Country were also launched from 2018-19 to 2020-21.
The programme, which earlier focused on cogeneration, is now also supporting the manufacturing of pellets and briquettes for use in power generation with financial incentives for enhancing production. The scheme supports the implementation of the National Mission on Co-firing of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants. This is also aimed at enabling a reduction in the practice of stubble burning, particularly in the northern states of the country.
