The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India has notified the National Bioenergy Program on November 2, 2022. MNRE has continued the National Bioenergy Program for the period from FY 2021-22 to 2025-26. The Program has been recommended for implementation in two Phases. The Phase-I of the Programme has been approved with a budget outlay of Rs. 858 crore.
The National Bioenergy Program will comprises of the following sub-schemes:
- Waste to Energy Program (Program on Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes /Residues) to support setting up of large Biogas, BioCNG and Power plants (excluding MSW to Power projects).
- Biomass Program (Scheme to Support Manufacturing of Briquettes & Pellets and Promotion of Biomass (non-bagasse) based cogeneration in Industries) to support setting up of pellets and briquettes for use in power generation and non-bagasse based power generation projects.
- Biogas Program to support setting up of family and medium size Biogas in rural areas.
Programme guidelines are available on https://mnre.gov.in/ .
To utilize the huge surplus biomass, cattle dung, industrial and urban biowaste available in the country for recovery of energy, the MNRE has been promoting bioenergy in India since the 1980s. One major support extended by MNRE has been Central Financial Assistance provided for setting up of Bioenergy projects such as Biogas, BioCNG, Power from urban, Industrial and Agricultural Waste / Residues for reducing their capital cost/ interest on loan therefore increasing project viability.
