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Biogas is a locally accessible and renewable energy source that can be generated from organic feedstocks under anaerobic conditions. This paper aims to assess the future biogas potential in India from varied sources (crops residues, animal manure, municipal solid wastes, municipal and industrial wastewater). The study uses a bottom-up, resource focused approach for the assessment of biogas potential. The paper assess agriculture and animal residues as well as generation, collection and availability of municipal and industrial waste for biogas production. The results show considerable potential of biogas in the next two decades due to rising waste generation and deployment of infrastructure for improving waste collection efficiency. The analysis estimates that the biogas potential ranges from 310 to 655 billion m3/year in the year 2040 depending upon availability of different resources. The estimated biogas potential in the year 2040 is around 36% of India's current (2015) total primary energy supply in the high availability scenario. Finally, the paper offers policy recommendations aimed at realizing the biogas potential. • Future Biogas potential from animal and agricultural based waste resource in India is estimated. • Bottom-up resource based approach is used for assessment. • Estimated future biogas potential is around 12.8 EJ in 2040. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, electricity use in rural areas accounts only 23% of national total usage. It is necessary to expand the access to electricity in Rural India for sustainable development. Biomass, a viable resource is the most direct and simple way at households and rural areas. Organic waste can be converted into an alternative source for cooking, heating and electricity. Biogas, a biofuel produced from organic waste (food scraps and animal waste) through Anaerobic Digestion. It is mainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide produced through Anaerobic Digestion in either large scale or small scale digesters. Traditionally, biogas has been used for cooking. Based on village level survey, electrical energy is the only commercial form of energy that has been used in villages. Biogas production paves the way to produce electricity at villages through high temperature fuel cell unit like Solid Oxide Fuel Cell; thus it is the best possible way to generate and utilize power close to where people live. The present paper discusses about the rural energy requirement, overview of biogas production and fuel cells, potential and operational challenges for biogas fed Solid oxide fuel cell, technical barriers with Solid oxide fuel cell and issues related to rural electrification using renewable energy. Also, a comparative analysis of SOFC with bio and thermo chemical conversion of biomass has been analyzed with a case study and reported. • Based on village level survey in a village at Dindigul Dt, Tamilnadu, India, electrical energy is the only commercial form of energy that has been used. • Biogas production paves the way to produce electricity at villages through high temperature fuel cell unit like Solid Oxide Fuel Cell; thus it is the best possible way to generate and utilize power close to where people live. • The present paper discusses about the rural energy requirement, potential and operational challenges for biogas fed Solid oxide fuel cell. • A comparative analysis of SOFC with bio and thermo chemical conversion of biomass has been analyzed with a case study and reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]