Bioenergy to play pivotal role in decarbonising MSMEs: Shripad Naik

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) Renewable Energy Minister Shripad Yesso Naik on Friday highlighted the pivotal role of bioenergy in India’s clean energy transition, particularly in decarbonising industrial process heat in the MSME sector.

The Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power was delivering the keynote address at a national workshop on Introduction and Adoption of Biomass for Green Steam and Heat Applications in MSMEs, organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Grant Thornton Bharat.

On the occasion, the minister also jointly released the report titled "Decarbonizing MSMEs: Use of Biomass for Green Steam and Heat Application".

Naik said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s renewable energy journey has witnessed unprecedented momentum over the past decade, with bioenergy emerging from a peripheral role to become a strategic pillar of the country's clean energy transition.

The minister noted that bioenergy today extends far beyond electricity generation and contributes simultaneously to multiple national priorities, including energy security, rural livelihoods, waste management, pollution reduction and climate action.

Highlighting the challenge of industrial decarbonisation, particularly in the MSME sector, he pointed out that while MSMEs contribute nearly one-third of India’s manufacturing output and employ millions, a significant share of their energy demand for steam and heat continues to be met through fossil fuels like coal, furnace oil and pet coke.

Emphasising that biomass-based green steam and heat solutions offer a practical, scalable and India-specific pathway, the minister said India's abundant availability of agricultural residue, animal waste and municipal solid waste presents a unique opportunity to convert waste into value, reduce emissions and generate additional income for farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

He outlined the government's integrated approach through initiatives such as the National Bioenergy Programme, SATAT and GOBARdhan, which support biomass briquettes and pellets, non-bagasse-based cogeneration, industrial applications and decentralised solutions tailored to MSMEs, while also strengthening linkages with the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Highlighting the significance of the report released during the workshop, Naik said that it provides a data-driven, sector-specific roadmap for adopting biomass-based green heat and steam solutions across industries, such as textiles, food processing, chemicals, foundries and pharmaceuticals.

The report also brings out key policy and market enablers, including biomass deployment obligations, standardised steam supply agreements, biomass exchanges and strengthened supply-chain coordination, and is expected to serve as a valuable reference for policymakers, industry and financial institutions.

He underlined that technology alone cannot drive transformation and called for close collaboration across the entire value chain, from farmers and FPOs supplying biomass to aggregators, logistics providers, boiler manufacturers, energy service companies, financiers and regulators.

He stressed that MSMEs require confidence in fuel availability, pricing stability, operational reliability and supportive policies, and noted that platforms such as this workshop are critical for trust-building, knowledge-sharing and co-creation of solutions.

The minister said that bioenergy truly embodies the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.

He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the workshop and the insights from the report would accelerate the adoption of green steam and heat solutions across the MSME sector and urged all stakeholders to convert intent into action. PTI KKS KKS BAL BAL