ONGC to form JV with EverEnviro for CBG plants across India

Indian state-run energy producer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will form a joint venture with Gurugram-based biogas company EverEnviro Resource Management to establish compressed biogas (CBG) plants across India, EverEnviro said on March 1. 

The board of ONGC, in a recent meeting, granted in-principle approval for the formation of joint venture companies with EverEnviro and another entity. The joint ventures will focus on setting up 15 CBG plants, utilising diverse feedstocks such as municipal solid waste, agricultural waste, and agro-industrial waste.

EverEnviro envisions the establishment of over 100 CBG plants nationwide. The current projects being executed in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Punjab, with a capital investment of nearly 20 billion rupees, are poised to yield an output of 320 tonnes/day of CBG. The company has tied up with European Sustainable Solutions to integrate the latter's Gemidan Ecogi technology into its upcoming municipal solid waste-based CBG plants.

Biogas, with its composition of approximately 55-65% methane, offers a versatile and sustainable energy source. In its raw form, biogas can be employed as clean cooking fuel, replacing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and can serve various other applications such as lighting, motive power, and electricity generation. The adaptability of biogas extends to diesel engines, where it can substitute diesel up to 80%, or even achieve complete replacement with specialised biogas engines.

Furthermore, the ability to purify and upgrade biogas to 98% methane content positions it as an environmentally friendly fuel for transportation. This includes high-pressure filling for cylinders, presenting an eco-friendly alternative for various vehicles.

This collaboration comes on the heels of ONGC's commitment last year to invest a substantial 1 trillion rupees ($12bn) in clean energy projects by 2030.