India, Japan to launch framework for biogas-powered vehicles: Report
New Delhi, June 27
India and Japan will establish a framework to promote biogas-powered vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen clean mobility and energy security, with the two countries targeting the expansion of methane production plants for compressed natural gas vehicles in India, a report has said.
A report published in The Japan Times said the two governments will exchange a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's three-day visit to India.
Under the proposed framework, India and Japan aim to increase the number of plants in India that produce methane from fermented cow dung for use in CNG vehicles to around 1,000.
Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor, which commands the largest share of India's passenger vehicle market, will support the initiative.
The auto company has already begun producing biogas in India with financial assistance under Japan's Global South support programme and is looking to further promote CNG vehicles in the country.
According to the report, CNG-powered vehicles account for more than 20 per cent of new passenger vehicle sales in India, where rising energy demand and heavy dependence on imported crude oil have prompted the government to explore alternative and cleaner fuel sources.
The report noted that Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here during her first visit to India since taking office in October last year.
The visit is part of the India-Japan leaders' reciprocal "shuttle diplomacy" and is expected to focus on strengthening cooperation in areas such as economic security, clean energy and economic growth.
The report added that Japan also sees closer ties with India as strategically important amid evolving geopolitical challenges and growing regional competition.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting move. As someone who follows energy transitions, biogas from cow dung is a practical solution for India’s rural economy and energy needs. The MoU with Japan, especially Suzuki backing it, adds credibility. Let’s hope it doesn’t become another talk-shop without real implementation on the ground.
This is brilliant! 🇮🇳🤝🇯🇵 Using cow dung for biogas in CNG vehicles is clever—we produce so much dung anyway. With CNG already at 20% of new car sales, this could actually bring down our oil imports significantly over time. Just need proper infrastructure and plant maintenance. Kudos to Modi and Takaichi for this initiative.
Good move strategically, but my concern is environmental. Are we sure burning more biogas in vehicles is clean? Methane leakage can be a problem. Also, won’t this just encourage more cattle farming, which has its own ecological footprint? Need to see the full lifecycle analysis before celebrating. That said, India-Japan cooperation on clean tech is welcome.
As an American, I’m impressed India is turning waste into fuel so practically. We struggle with biogas adoption here. Using cow dung for CNG is smart given India’s huge cattle population and rising vehicle numbers. Hope this model gets replicated elsewhere—reducing oil dependence is something every country can get behind.
Will this actually reduce pollution? In cities like Delhi, CNG buses and autos are everywhere, but the real problem is older diesel vehicles and industrial emissions. Focusing on biogas for new cars is incremental; we need
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.