Reliance invests Rs 6,500 cr in CBG, aims for 500 plants in India

Reliance Industries has committed Rs 6,500 crore to the compressed biogas (CBG) sector. With 55 plants in execution, RIL accounts for 25% of India's CBG capacity and aims to scale up to 500 plants as part of its clean energy strategy.

Reliance Industries has invested around Rs 6,500 crore in the compressed biogas (CBG) sector and currently 55 CBG plants in execution, 41 operational, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of India's planned CBG ecosystem while the long term aim is for setting up 500 plants, Ashwani Kumar, Senior Executive Vice President, Reliance Industries Ltd, told ANI on Thursday.

"We have already put in our commitment by putting 6,500 crores, 55 plants, Out of the entire (CBG plants in India) almost 25% of the CBG plants are from Reliance. We want to expand it to another 500," he told ANI on the sidelines of a CII event held in the national capital.

The Potential of CBG

Kumar said CBG is emerging as a key clean energy carrier beyond its traditional role in waste management and nutrient recovery, with the potential to support India's energy security goals. CBG, which produces methane, can be integrated into existing gas infrastructure and used across multiple applications, helping reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.

"The good thing with CBG is that it generates a molecule which is methane. You can use methane and convert it into jet fuel, aviation fuel and other kinds of energy. It can be used directly and we can inject it in the pipe," he said.

Integration with Gas Networks

Kumar said integration of CBG into city gas distribution (CGD) networks is technically feasible and already being implemented in developed markets such as the United States and Europe, subject to strict quality monitoring systems.

"This is a very common thing in the United States and across Europe. The gas distribution line gets a tapping and it is injected in those lines. There is a strict monitoring protocol through gas chromatographs to ensure the right molecules are being put in the pipeline," he said.

Reliance's Long-Term Strategy

He said Reliance has a long-term roadmap for scaling up its presence in the CBG sector as part of its broader clean energy strategy.

Kumar said CBG should be seen as a structural pillar of India's energy transition as countries globally move towards cleaner and more domestic fuel systems amid supply disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty.

"The world has changed forever. Everyone is looking for alternate ways of energy after massive disruptions in supply," he said.

Part of India's Hybrid Energy Transition

He said India's energy transition is being driven through a hybrid approach that combines multiple fuels and technologies rather than relying on a single pathway.

"India has taken a hybrid kind of approach. We are using ethanol, we are banking on CBG," he said.

Kumar also underlined that India's energy strategy is focused on long-term self-sufficiency and diversification of fuel sources.

Ethanol as a Petrol Replacement

He said that ethanol is fully capable of replacing petrol as a transport fuel and that India can learn from Brazil's long experience in ethanol adoption since the 1970s.

He said the transition will depend on execution, technology integration and coordination with automobile manufacturers to ensure engine readiness for higher ethanol blends.

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