Punjab is all set to harness biogas CNG potential in the State by setting up one pilot plant in each district of the State. “Punjab is moving towards the next level by fixing a target of setting up of at least one biogas CNG project in every district of the State,” said the State New and Renewable Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia — the brain behind this green energy push.
He said that the State is all set to lead the nation to become first State in the country to harness Biogas CNG and “we have a plan to set up one pilot plant in each district this year”.
“Such projects will not only create business opportunities for investors but also generate income for farmers by selling cattle dung which is used as raw material for generation of energy through biogas,” he said.
Under bio-CNG project, cattle dung or agricultural residue is used for production of Bio-gas which is further purified and filled in cylinders as Bio-CNG. The development of such projects will help in direct or indirect employment opportunities in rural areas and create new business opportunities for investors, which is expected to turn into a profitable venture, he said.
“Continuing with our commitment to make Punjab clean and environmental-friendly state, three such projects have already been installed having capacity of 600 cubic meter, 1000 cubic meter and 5000 cubic meter biogas per day. These projects are working successfully and have created demonstration effect,” he said.
He said that proposals for such projects have been sought from the investors or developers along with documents including detailed project report and the last date of submission of prescribed application form was fixed February 16, 2015.
Besides many health and environmental benefits, Majithia said that the development of such projects will create direct or indirect employment opportunities in rural area helping in eradicating unemployment in the state and generating new business opportunities for investors which will turn into a profitable venture.