India has abundant bioenergy resources and although the segment has made progress in the past few years, less than 10 per cent of the total potential has been achieved so far. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) expects the launch of the long awaited National Bioenergy Mission (NBEM) to provide a platform for achieving this potential by providing an enabling environment for large-scale biomass-based capacity addition during the Twelfth and Thirteenth plan periods.

Biogas represents an alternative source of energy, derived mainly from organic wastes. In India, the use of biogas derived from animal waste, primarily cow dung, has been promoted for over three decades now. According to the 1997 Livestock Census, the cattle population in the country is about 290 million.