Context:
The parliamentary standing committee on petroleum and natural gas criticizes Oil Ministry and its PSUs for not prioritizing CBG projects in the country.
About Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme:
- Launched in 2018.
- Launched by – Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas partners with PSUs.
- Aim – To produce Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) from Waste and Biomass sources (agricultural residue, cattle dung, etc.) and provide it as a green fuel in the market.
- Funding – Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin’s Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) component.
- CBG plants are proposed to be set up through independent entrepreneurs.
Biogas (a renewable fuel) is an energy-rich gas produced by anaerobic decomposition of biomass from waste / bio-mass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung etc. It constitutes mainly of methane (~60%), carbon dioxide (~40%), and traces of hydrogen sulphide (H2S).
Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG):
- Derived through bio gas.
- Purified to eliminate H2S, CO2, water vapour.
- Compressed into CBG with over 90% methane (CH4) content.
- CBG matches CNG in calorific value and properties
- Suitable as renewable automotive fuel
Calorific value is the energy or amount of heat produced as a result of the complete combustion of a unit volume of the substance.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Biomass gasification is considered to be one of the sustainable solutions to the power crisis in India. In this context, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
- Coconut shells, groundnut shells and rice husk can be used in biomass gasification.
- The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification consist of hydrogen and carbon dioxide only.
- The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification can be used for direct heat generation, but not in internal combustion engines.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2012 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
