"Oil Marketing Firms Eager to Establish Compressed Biogas Plants in Kerala, Says Minister P Rajeev"

Several public sector oil marketing and gas companies have expressed interest in establishing compressed biogas (CBG) units in around 10 districts in Kerala. The move aligns with the national mandate for these companies to develop alternative energy sources.

State Industries Minister P Rajeev has revealed that the foundation stone for a CBG project in Kochi, proposed by the BPCL-Kochi Refinery, is expected to be laid in January. The State Government has recently approved the detailed project report (DPR) for the Kochi unit, and a government order formalizing the project is in the pipeline.

The bidding process for the Kochi project will be initiated by the public sector oil company shortly, and it is anticipated to become operational by the end of 2024. In addition to the Kochi project, the company has expressed interest in establishing a CBG project in Thiruvananthapuram.

Furthermore, preliminary discussions have taken place with the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), which has come forward to set up three CBG plants in the state, including one in Thrissur. GAIL has been tasked with preparing the DPR for its Thrissur plant.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has also shown interest in launching similar CBG units in Kerala. Collectively, these public sector companies have earmarked investments worth ₹3,500 crore for the sector.

These oil companies are venturing into CBG and other energy projects, and the State government will not bear any financial burden as the companies will fund the projects, install equipment, and operate them. The State government's responsibility is to ensure a consistent supply of waste materials to the treatment plants. This initiative is expected to be particularly beneficial for civic bodies that struggle to manage bio-waste.

HBL