Biogas produced from urban wet waste fuels 400 city buses in Indore

The success of the Indore Municipal Corporation in Madhya Pradesh in producing biogas from wet waste is a strong case for promoting alternative compressed natural gas generation, rather than relying heavily on imports.

Around 50% of the total gas generated here is used for city bus services, and the remaining for domestic purposes.

Amid the ongoing war between Israel-USA and Iran in the crude oil-producing Gulf countries, which led to a threat to global oil security, The Hindu visited the Indore gas production unit as part of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) national media visit in the second week of March. It explored how alternative supply reduces dependency on imports.

Driven by the Swachh Bharat Mission, Indore has combined robust infrastructure, efficient administration and active public participation to achieve eight consecutive top rankings in the national cleanliness survey, Swachh Sarvekshan.

Officials note that beyond awareness campaigns, sustained investments in waste processing systems and behavioural changes among citizens have been critical to this success.

Indore, with a population of over 3 million, generates more than 600 metric tonnes of wet waste daily. To manage this, the Indore Municipal Corporation has developed an integrated system involving segregation at source, door-to-door collection through over 600 vehicles, and scientific processing at multiple facilities.

A key highlight is the Public-Private Partnership plant operated with Everenviro Resource Management Private Limited, which processes about 500 tonnes of wet waste daily.

“The plant produces bio-gas from organic waste through biomethanation, producing nearly 21 tonnes of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) per day, with over 95 per cent methane purity,” Project Manager Chandra Prakash Meena told The Hindu.

He said that 50 per cent of the gas is used to fuel a fleet of 400 city buses and the remaining for domestic purposes. The byproduct is processed into organic manure for agricultural use.

Mr. Meena said that scientific processing and gas purification ensure minimal emissions in adherence to safety norms. The initiative has reduced fossil fuel dependence by 16 per cent and significantly cut carbon emissions, positioning Indore as a model for sustainable urban energy and waste management, he added.