Gobardhan Bio-CNG Plant in Indore – Sustainable Urban Waste Management With a Purpose

Gobardhan Bio-CNG plant in Indore (Madhya Pradesh, India) is an ongoing environmental, social and technological experiment which is helping the city manage waste sustainably and effectively. Let’s explore the different aspects of Indore’s pioneering Bio-CNG project which is setting up an example of sustainable solid waste management worldwide.

Bio-CNG: Compressed Biogas with a Purpose

Bio-CNG is essentially compressed biogas which is chemically similar to the CNG you find at fuel stations, but with a crucial difference. Bio-CNG is produced from organic fraction of the municipal solid wastes, and not fossil fuel resources. The bio-CNG process starts with the collection of organic waste, such as food waste, green waste, and other biodegradable waste. The biodegradable waste is biochemically degraded into biogas through the anaerobic digestion process. The biogas is purified and pressurized to 250 bar, making it suitable for industrial and transport applications.

Indore’s Gobardhan Plant: A Case Study

Indore’s Gobardhan Bio-CNG plant has been built on 15 acres of what was once the city’s dumping ground Devguradiya. The plant, setup with an investment of Rs. 150 crores, is designed to process up to 550 tons of organic waste every single day and mitigate up to 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per annum.

For around 70 years, Devguradiya was Indore’s infamous dumping ground, receiving up to 700 tons of MSW per day where clouds of particulate matter malodors dominated daily life for anyone nearby. The decomposition of municipal waste released a cocktail of harmful gases, including SO₂, H₂S, methane, CO, CO₂, and ammonia. These gases posed serious public health risks in the form of eye irritation, nasal discomfort, and respiratory issues.

By processing MSW into clean energy, the Gobardhan Bio-CNG plant now powers city buses, reduces landfill emissions and offers a green lung for the city.

Public-Private Partnership: The Success Story

The Gobardhan bio-CNG plant is a financial and operational model that is changing how Indian cities think about waste-to-energy and waste management. The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) joined hands with Ever Enviro Resource Management Private Limited in a public-private partnership to set up and run the facility.

• IMC’s Role: The city must supply the plant with 90% segregated waste, which is crucial, as the entire economic model depends on a steady, reliable flow of segregated organic waste stream.
• Ever Enviro’s Role: The private partner manages operations, technology, and sales, ensuring the plant runs efficiently and profitably.

Ever Enviro pays IMC an annual royalty of Rs 2.5 crore for the waste supply whereas IMC buys bio-CNG from the plant at Rs 5 less per kg than the market price of CNG. This discount directly reduces the city’s fuel costs for public transport. Currently, 146 city buses run on this cleaner, cheaper fuel, making Indore a leader in the bio-CNG transportation in India.

By switching its bus fleet from diesel to CNG, IMC has already earned Rs 8.5 crore in carbon credits which is a direct financial reward for reducing emissions, and it strengthens the business case for compressed biogas in India.

Around half of the bio-CNG produced is sold to Avantika Gas Limited, the region’s main CNG and PNG supplier, at Rs 56 per kg, while the rest is compressed and distributed to local industries and at CNG dispensing stations.

Additionally, the plant generates 100 tons of organic manure, sold at Rs 1,800 per ton which not only brings in extra revenue but also supports local agriculture. Additionally, 15 tons of carbon dioxide are produced daily which is bottled and sold for industrial uses.

The Road Ahead

Indore’s bold move to produce compressed biogas from MSW in India is a landmark step. The future plans include the direct injection of compressed biogas into Avantika’s city gas distribution network which will reduce biogas compression costs, reduce emissions from transportation sector, and provide clean fuel to industries across Indore. However, the technology to inject biogas directly into city pipelines is still in nascent stages in India with several operational and regulatory hurdles.

For example, ensuring the biogas meets strict quality standards for pipeline injection is a technical challenge that requires constant monitoring and investment. There are also questions about how to balance supply and demand, manage pressure differences, and coordinate between multiple agencies.

Another major challenge is the market unpredictability. The price of natural gas, the demand from local industries, and the willingness of consumers to adopt a new fuel source all affect the viability of bio-CNG in India. Shifting regulations, evolving subsidy structures, and the need for clear long-term commitments from government agencies can make planning difficult.

Indore’s bio-CNG project is still a work in progress, and may ultimately set the benchmark for sustainable urban waste management for cities around the world.