Maruti Suzuki India launches pilot biogas plant at Manesar facility

Passenger vehicle manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India, a subsidiary of Japan’s Suzuki Motors, has launched a pilot biogas plant at its Manesar facility in Haryana, the company announced on June 5.

The plant aims to utilise the untapped potential of in-house food waste and Napier grass as resources. During the fiscal year that ended in March 2024, the company invested 1.21bn rupees ($15mn) in renewable energy initiatives, including solar power and biogas. Maruti Suzuki plans to increase this investment approximately fourfold to 4.5bn rupees over the next three years, starting in April 2024.

The pilot plant is designed to produce 0.2 tonnes/day of biogas, with an anticipated output of approximately 100,000 m³ of biogas in the 12 months leading up to March 2025. The project is expected to offset roughly 190 tonnes/year of CO2.

The biogas generated will supply energy for the manufacturing processes at the Manesar facility. Additionally, the residual organic manure will be utilised in horticulture, effectively creating a zero-discharge model.

Indian government in November last year announced the mandatory phased blending of compressed biogas (CBG) in compressed natural gas (CNG) and domestic piped natural gas (PNG) segments starting the fiscal year 2025-26. Experts suggest that this move will not only contribute to environmental sustainability but also result in a reduction of costly imported LNG, thereby helping India save precious foreign exchange.