Biogas Training Tour 2018 got kick started at Chennai on April 23rd, followed by commencement at Bangalore, and Mumbai on April 24th and 26th respectively. After successful coverage of cities, like Delhi, Pune, and Ahmedabad in its earlier version in 2017, this time the event moved to the Southern and Western parts of India. The opening of training tour at Chennai also saw the launch of the “Informative Brochure on Biogas”, a brochure entailing basic information on biogas in English and Hindi, by Dr. T. S. Chandra, Emeritus Professor at Dept. of Biotechnology, IIT-Madras.
This exclusive Biogas Training Tour was organized by Indian Biogas Association (IBA) in co-operation with German Biogas Association (GBA) and was supported by Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, CMR University, Bangalore, Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Matunga, Mumbai, and Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC).
The training tour entailed learnings on basics of biogas featuring the diverse spectrum of feedstock used, several production technologies, multiple usage of biogas, along with essence of the unspent digestate(bio-slurry)-its usage and treatment techniques, Indian biogas scenario, and German experience and journey in biogas. Aforementioned topics were reflected upon by a line-up of high-level speakers like Mr. Frank Hofmann (GBA), Ms. Marion Weisheu (GBA), Mr. Gaurav Kedia (IBA) and Mr. Abhijeet Mukherjee (IBA).
This training tour also emphasised on importance of planning, operation and maintenance and safety in biogas plants. The training provided succinct information about the overall scenario of the Indian Biogas industry in form of present status and growth rate of biogas plants across different scale, critical challenges being faced by the industry and its mitigating measures, the present legal frame work encompassing role of different ministries, available subsidy schemes, permits and clearances needed for setting up a biogas plant, and few case studies on existing biogas plants in India.
An important objective of this event was to emphasise upon experience of German Biogas Association of over 9000 successful plants in a decade time in Germany. India definitely need to take a proper understanding out of the German road map in Biogas and similar success stories can follow after customizing as per the local needs and conditions.
The Biogas training tour 2018, attracted aspiring entrepreneurs, environmental enthusiasts, research scholars, academics and NGOs, and was extremely helpful in augmenting their elementary information in Biogas. In this training tour mainly, topic covered by our speakers was Biogas in India, Biogas technologies, existing plants and prospective scope.
In nutshell, the event was instrumental in effecting a paradigm shift in the Indian Biogas sector. The Training tour will see its next edition in the fore coming years, looking to build up on the success of the 2018 edition in terms of participation, high-level contributions and, coverage of more cities across India.
