The Compressed Biogas Conclave 2026: Moving Towards an Efficient & Robust CBG Production Ecosystem was successfully organized by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE) with the support of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The two-day conclave was held on 6–7 March 2026 in Pune, Maharashtra, followed by an optional technical site visit to leading bioenergy facilities on 8 March 2026.
The Conclave was inaugurated by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, who highlighted the transformative role of bioenergy and Compressed Biogas (CBG) in strengthening India’s energy security, advancing the circular economy, and fostering sustainable rural development. He emphasized that the rapid adoption of CBG will be instrumental in building a cleaner, greener, and more self-reliant energy ecosystem while creating new opportunities for rural growth and prosperity.
The Minister noted that the biofuel sector has the potential to significantly reduce India’s fossil fuel import bill, while also generating millions of employment opportunities in rural areas. He underscored the importance of adopting advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and commercial viability of CBG production.
The conclave brought together the distinguished policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, EPC companies and technology providers. Eminent speakers included Shri Anna Saheb M. K. Patil, Former Minister, Government of India; Dr. T. Krishna Prasad, IPS (Retd.), Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha Panel Speaker); Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, President, IFGE and Founder Chairman, Praj Industries; Shri Y. B. Ramakrishna, Senior Vice President, IFGE & Chairperson, IFGE CBG Producer Forum and Former Chairperson, Working Group on Biofuels, MoPNG; Dr. Gaurav Mishra, Senior Director & Scientist F, MNRE (Virtual); Mr. Inderjit Singh, Director, Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), Government of Uttar Pradesh (Virtual); Mr. Sanjay Kolte, IAS, Commissioner of Sugar, Government of Maharashtra; Shri Ashish Kumar, Vice President, IFGE & Vice Chairman, IFGE CBG Producer Forum and Managing Director, Verbio India; Shri Atul Mulay, President, Praj Industries and Shri Dilip Patil, Co-Chairperson, IFGE : Sugar Bioenergy Forum.
Dr. Pramod Chaudhari emphasized that strengthening the CBG ecosystem through technology innovation, efficient feedstock management, and scalable project development will be essential to accelerate the growth of the sector and unlock new opportunities for waste-to-wealth generation and sustainable industrial development.
The Conclave featured over 60 distinguished speakers across 9 thematic sessions and witnessed participation from more than 300 delegates, including CBG producers, technology providers, EPC companies, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), consultants, financial institutions, and other stakeholders from across the bioenergy ecosystem.
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the ICAR–Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR); Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) and IFGE. The collaboration aims to promote the use of millets as a potential feedstock for Compressed Biogas (CBG) and Second-Generation (2G) Ethanol production, thereby strengthening the feedstock ecosystem for advanced biofuels in India.
The Conclave served as a major platform for deliberations on the operational, technological, and commercial challenges facing the CBG sector. Discussions focused on enhancing plant efficiency, optimizing feedstock utilization, deploying proven and scalable technologies, and developing sustainable offtake and revenue models to strengthen the overall CBG production ecosystem.
Some companies also showcased their products and services through exhibition displays, highlighting innovative solutions for the CBG sector.
As part of the conclave’s technical site visit programme on March 8, 2026, delegates visited Praj Matrix R&D Unit, offering insights into advanced bioenergy and biotechnology research; the paddy straw-based Agrogas CBG Plant developed by Primove Engineering; the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s hotel waste-to-CBG plant developed by Avni Bioenergy; and the press mud-based CBG plant at Lokhandwala developed by Raj Process Equipments & Systems Pvt. Ltd. These visits provided delegates with valuable on-ground exposure to diverse feedstock models, operational technologies, and integrated waste-to-energy solutions.
The conclave received strong support from leading industry players and institutions which includes Universal Forces Industries Pvt. Ltd., Technodry System Engineering Pvt. Ltd., JRD Sales and Services, Praj Industries, Raj Process Equipments & Systems Pvt. Ltd., Deccan Sugar Technologists’ Association, National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories, Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Sangh Ltd., West Indian Sugar Mills Association, Sugar Commissionerate – Maharashtra State, ICAR Indian Institute of Millets Research, National Chemical Laboratory, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, S. Nijalingappa Sugar Institute (Belagavi), MAHAPREIT, ChiniMandi, and Hycons Bioenergy.
The Compressed Biogas Conclave 2026 reaffirmed the industry’s collective commitment to building a robust, efficient, and sustainable CBG ecosystem, contributing to India’s goals of energy security, waste-to-wealth, rural prosperity, and a cleaner energy future.
