In nature, there’s no concept of waste—everything seamlessly melds into a continuous cycle, maintaining the balance of life. Anaerobic digestion, an essential step of sustainable waste management and an efficient recycling method plays a crucial role in facilitating this process. It naturally treats most organic effluents, such as sewage sludge; bio-waste; catering waste; organic leftovers from the food and beverage industry; and agricultural by-products from farms like manure and straw. However, our conventional economic model favours a ‘take, make, dispose’ approach, leading to only 7.2 per cent of materials finding their way back into the economy. This strains resources swells landfills, and amplifies greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting an urgent need for action as climate change accelerates, resources dwindle, and waste multiplies.
The Necessity of a Circular EconomyÂ
Amidst this urgency, the circular economy offers a compelling alternative, emphasising resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainability as central tenets. By redesigning systems and processes to minimize waste and maximise resource efficiency, the circular economy fosters closed-loop systems where materials and products retain their value and utility throughout their lifecycle.
With the global population indicated to surpass 8.5 billion by 2030, and global material consumption projected to rise 60 per cent by 2060, a circular economy becomes not just an aspiration but a necessity for ensuring access to resources and safeguarding the health of our planet.
Waste management: A Pressing challenge
Addressing waste management represents a critical challenge in the transition to a circular economy. Within this context, the detrimental effects of animal and farmland waste loom large. Livestock waste, in particular, emerges as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. The scale of this issue is staggering, with livestock waste alone accounting for 1,188 billion tonnes annually.
The role of Biogas in waste management
Biogas plants emerge as a key component in realising the circular economy vision. By utilising animal and farmland waste to produce clean energy, biogas plants exemplify the principles of reuse and resource efficiency, contributing to both environmental sustainability and economic viability.
Despite India’s historical reliance on agriculture, its current biogas production stands at a mere 2.07 billion m3/year, a fraction of its estimated potential ranging from 29 to 48 billion m3/year (Mittal et al., 2018). This underutilisation is particularly alarming given the exacerbated environmental impact of livestock waste, which emits significant quantities of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methane’s potency, nearly 86 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year span, exacerbates climate change, with approximately 32 per cent of global human-made methane emissions originating from livestock waste.
The multifunctionality of biogas technology is its clearest strength. Sustainable biogas systems include processes for the treatment of waste, for the protection of the environment, for the conversion of low-value material to higher-value material, for the production of electricity, heat and advanced gaseous biofuel. Biogas and anaerobic digestion systems are dispatchable and as such can facilitate intermittent renewable electricity.
The multiple functions of biogas in the circular economy are discussed under the following:
- Biogas as green energy carrier
- Reduction of GHG emissions
- Energy & Food Security
- Biogas as raw material and use of carbon dioxide and methane
- Biogas from anaerobic digestion as a collector for organic waste streamsÂ
- Biogas treatment for better water qualityÂ
- Awareness tool on circular thinkingÂ
- Bioslurry from Biogas in agricultureÂ
- Balancing income for rural areas Â
- Challenges in using waste as raw material.
In light of these challenges, the integration of biogas plants offers a promising solution. Not only do they mitigate methane emissions by capturing and utilising them for clean energy production, but they also reduce reliance on fossil fuels. By turning waste into energy, biogas plants represent a tangible example of circular economy principles in action, showcasing how resource efficiency and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Scaling Up Biogas for a Sustainable Future
In a country like India where dairy farming employs more than 7 million people, biogas has an unmatched potential however the most significant hurdle to remain in its widespread adoption is the lack of financing. Dairy farmers often lack the financial means required for upfront investment. The cost of installing a family-sized biogas plant can range anywhere from 35,000 to 40,000, an amount that is not always at a small-scale farmer’s disposal.
In situations like this, government initiatives like the National Biogas Programme and the National Biogas and Manure Management Program (NBMMP) can be crucial in incentivizing the adoption of biogas technology among farmers. Policymakers can play an important role in expanding these initiatives, ensuring that they reach a wider demographic of farmers, including those in remote or underserved areas.
Micro Financing institutions can work with farmers to provide financing schemes that make biogas technology more accessible. This could involve providing low-interest loans, or innovative financing models tailored to the specific needs of the communities.
Community involvement is equally important for scaling up biogas adoption. Local communities can be engaged through awareness campaigns, training programs, and capacity-building initiatives. By empowering communities with the knowledge and skills needed to implement and maintain biogas plants, the transition to sustainable energy solutions can be accelerated.
The integration of biogas solutions into broader environmental and economic strategies is equally imperative. Biogas also plays a crucial role in achieving climate targets. It aligns with the objectives of the Paris Agreement by capturing methane emissions and converting them into renewable energy, thus mitigating climate change. Moreover, initiatives like the Net Zero targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underscore the need for sustainable energy solutions that promote economic growth and social equity. Biogas plants perfectly align with these objectives, offering a triple-win solution.
In the context of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), biogas technology can help countries meet their emissions reduction targets and transition to low-carbon economies. Additionally, the Global Methane Pledge presents a significant opportunity for biogas to make a substantial impact by reducing methane emissions.
The integration of biogas plants into our energy infrastructure represents a significant step towards realising the principles of the circular economy. By converting organic waste into renewable energy and valuable by-products, biogas plants demonstrate the potential to simultaneously address environmental challenges, promote resource efficiency, and foster economic development. As we confront the pressing realities of climate change and resource depletion, embracing sustainable energy solutions like biogas becomes not just an option but a necessity for building a resilient and prosperous future for generations to come.
India serves as a compelling example, having witnessed a 25 per cent increase in biogas production over the last five years. Biogas, a significant contributor to this green transition, dynamically shapes India’s circular economy. Join us in exploring the vast implications of biogas in India’s green resurgence.
