SATAT Initiative: MoUs signed to set up 900 Compressed Bio Gas Plants

On November 20, 2020, the Government of India signed Memorandum of Understanding with leading oil and gas marketing companies to establish Compressed Bio-Gas Plants all over India. These plants are to generate biogas from crop wastes. The agreements were signed under the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) initiative.

About the Memorandum of Understanding

Under the agreement, around 900 Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants are to established in the country. Earlier, the Government of India signed an agreement for 600 plants. Together, around 1,500 plants are under execution currently. GoI plans to build 5,000 CBG plants by 2023-34.

The agreement signed will bring in Rs 30,000 crores of investment to set up 900 plants. To set up 5000 plants, a total investment of Rs 2 lakh crores is envisaged.

Benefits

The biogas produced from the plants can be used to power automobiles. These fuels can be used to reduce the import by Rs 1 lakh crores.

SATAT initiative

The Sustainable alternative Towards Affordable Transportation aims to set up compressed Bio-gas production plants. The initiative was launched in 2018. Under the initiative, the CBG plants are to be set up through independent entrepreneurs. The targets set under the initiative are as follows

• The ultimate goal of the initiative is to establish 5,000 plants by 2025.
• The other sub goals of the initiative are as follows
  • To establish 250 CBG plants by 2020
  • To establish 1,000 CBG plants by 2022
• These 5,000 biogas plants will produce 15 million tonnes of CBG per annum. This is around 40% of current Compressed Natural Gas consumption.

Benefits of SATAT initiative

• Additional revenue source for farmers. This will help India achieve its goal of doubling farmers income by 2022.
• It will help to boost rural economy
• It will help to reduce carbon emissions
• Compressed Bio Gas will act as a buffer against oil and gas price fluctuations.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2020