January 28, 2015. The Punjab government, India, plans to set up a biogas compressed natural gas (CNG) plant, on a pilot basis, in every district, to harness the potential of the state.

   Punjab New and Renewable Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said he had conceived the project would be installed on a build-own-operate basis. The installation of such projects will convert cattle dung and agricultural wastes into energy.

   He further said three such projects have already been set up in the state with a capacity of600 cubic metres, 1,000 cubic metres and 5,000 cubic metres of biogas a day. These projects are working successfully. He said proposals for such projects have been sought from investors and developers and the last date of submission of the prescribed application form was fixed on February 16, 2015. Majithia said the Punjab was moving towards the next level by fixing a target of setting up at least one biogas CNG project in every district. He also said such projects would not only create business opportunities for the investors but also generate income for farmers by selling the cattle dung.

   He said the most crucial benefit of biogas CNG project was that it would generate better-quality manure.