Context: Recently, a German company has set up a plant in Punjab to convert paddy stubble into Compressed Biogas (CBG) which could be used as a fuel for vehicles.
About Compressed Biogas (CBG)

• Compressed Biogas (CBG) is purified and compressed biogas, which is produced through a process of anaerobic decomposition from various waste/ biomass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud & spent wash of distilleries, sewage water, municipal solid waste (MSW), biodegradable fractions of industrial waste etc.
• CBG can be used as a fuel in vehicles.
• Chemically, both Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and CBG are same.
• Both has same calorific value.

It contains

• Methane: 55 to 60 %
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2): 40 to 45 %
• Trace amounts of Hydrogen Sulphide.

Reserve Bank of India has put CBG under Priority Sector Lending.
Benefits of using Compressed Biogas (CBG):

• Curb pollution: Farmers will use crop residue to produce CBG instead of burning it as it will give more benefits to the farmers.
• Profit: Crop residues will be used to produces CBG which will help farmers to earn extra income.
• Bio manure: Solid by-products of CBG can be used as bio-manure.
• Increased crop yield: Bio manure made up of by product of CBG will help in increasing the fertility of the soil.
• Increased immunity: Bio manure has silica which gives immunity against many diseases and prevents toxic material uptake by plants such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and other heavy metals.
• High water retention capacity: Has high water retention capacity of bio manure helps in reducing the irrigation requirements.
• Food preservation: CO2 produced during the production of CBG can be trapped and be converted in the solid or liquid form which has high demand in food preservation industry.

About Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

• CNG is mainly comprised of methane and is stored under high pressure.
• It is a clear, odourless, and non-corrosive gas.

Benefits

• It is a cheaper, greener, and more efficient alternative to the traditional petrol and diesel fuels for vehicles.
• It is safer than gasoline and diesel.
• Use of CNG reduces the carbon emission by 90 to 97 %.