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GGGI signs MoU with India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

June 1, 2021, New Delhi, India – Today, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), Government of India as a knowledge partner under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme for the development of Compressed Biogas (CBG), also known as Biological Compressed Natural Gas (BioCNG). Under this partnership, GGGI and MoPNG will promote circular economy through Waste-to-Energy and identify rapidly growing markets to utilize CBG / BioCNG as a clean and green fuel.  The MoU signing ceremony was held virtually with in-person presence in New Delhi and Seoul. The MoU was signed in the presence of Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Secretary, MoPNG, Shri Tarun Kapoor and other key officials from MoPNG, Oil& Gas sector PSUs, and GGGI. The MOU was signed at an event organized by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IoCL) on CBG.

The SATAT Scheme is an initiative launched by the Government of India with the objective of setting up Compressed Biogas production plants and to make it available for the transport sector. The Scheme was launched in October 2018 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in collaboration with several oil related public sector units like Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL), the Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, Pertonet LNG Ltd. (PLL), and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL). The Scheme is a step toward India’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and fulfilling targets under multilateral agreements such as the Paris Agreement.

GGGI, through this strategic partnership with MoPNG, will facilitate deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CBG) projects in India through its regional Biological Compressed Natural Gas (BioCNG) program. The program is intended to develop a vibrant BioCNG market (robust demand and supply) with an ecosystem of service & technology providers and reduce barriers for use of BioCNG for the industrial and transport sectors. GGGI will provide advisory support for development of commercially scalable business models that are targeted for the local conditions and will facilitate mobilizing green finance. The GGGI-BioCNG program will play a significant role in creating bankable business templates for BioCNG projects, using different waste streams as feedstock by working on identified projects with MoPNG. The program will also strengthen institution capacity of Urban Local Bodies to implement BioCNG projects. 

The GGGI regional BioCNG program is supporting three Asian countries – India, Indonesia, and Thailand – that will open several billion-dollar markets for private & public sector investment that will lead to many green jobs and will help countries in transition towards a low carbon economy.