BPCL hosts Compressed Biogas Workshop in Bhopal

Mumbai/Bhopal: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a leading Fortune 500 Maharatna Energy Conglomerate, in partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG), hosted a significant workshop aimed at propelling the adoption of Compressed Biogas (CBG) as a sustainable energy solution. The event, held on March 11, 2024, at Hotel Radisson in Bhopal, marked a pivotal step in advancing India's energy transition agenda.

The workshop, convened under the auspices of the MoP&NG, fostered constructive dialogue among a diverse array of stakeholders, including bank officials, CBG producers, entrepreneurs, technology providers, and representatives from esteemed organizations such as the World Bank, Indian Biogas Association, and Oil and Gas marketing companies. Discussions revolved around the transformative potential of CBG in India's energy landscape, accentuating its role as a green fuel and its contribution to the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative.

The esteemed dignitaries were warmly welcomed by Shri. Pankaj Motiramani, State Head (Retail), Bhopal, while the inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of Shri. Arun Kumar, Director (GP-II), MoP&NG, and other notable personalities. Mr. Anurag Saraogi, CGM (Biofuels) at BPCL, extended a cordial welcome to all attendees, underscoring the workshop's significance in promoting CBG projects. Mr. Sasiprakash. R, GM Technology Biofuels, provided insights into the SATAT scheme, setting the stage for discussions.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Anurag Saraogi mentioned, "In our pursuit of a cleaner, greener future, the workshop in Bhopal, hosted by BPCL under the MoP&NG, is pivotal for the promotion of Compressed Biogas (CBG) projects. CBG stands as a beacon of hope in our quest for renewable energy sources. CBG holds immense potential to replace CNG in automotive, industrial, and commercial sectors. The abundance of biodegradable organic waste within our nation presents us with a unique opportunity to scale up the production of CBG, thereby contributing to a cleaner, greener future.”

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In his keynote address, Shri. Arun Kumar, Director (GP-II), MoP&NG emphasized India's strategic vision for sustainable energy solutions and the pivotal role of Compressed Biogas (CBG) in achieving these objectives. India imports around 85 % of crude oil and over 50% of LNG. Government has targeted to increase the share of natural gas in primary energy mix in India from current 6.5% to 15% by 2030. The sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative was launched in October 2018 and is intended to create and enable vibrant eco-system for the establishment of CBG plants for production and procurement of CBG for augmenting the natural gas supply in the country. One of the major challenges in setting up CBG plants is financing the projects. He urged that the representatives of banking sectors in the workshop to help in understanding the problem faced by the CBG project proponents. He expressed that the workshop will help in understanding details of CBG projects and its techno commercial evaluation which will addressing the issues involved in financing the project.

The workshop featured presentations from various ministries, including DDWS & MNRE, as well as contributions from esteemed organizations such as the World Bank, GAIL, Canara Bank, and CBG technology providers and BPCL CRDC. These engagements facilitated fruitful discussions and knowledge exchange, aimed at accelerating the adoption of CBG as a sustainable energy source in India.

The event served as a testament to BPCL's unwavering commitment to supporting initiatives that promote environmental sustainability and energy security.

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About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 21,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 525 Lubes distributorships, and 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 70 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines as on 30.09.2023.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing an ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting several initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be an admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

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