Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) commences a pilot Biogas plant at its Manesar facility in the fiscal year 2024-25, harnessing the untapped potential of in-house food waste and Napier grass as resources at its plant. The initiative aligns with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ‘Waste to Energy’ program, reflecting Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to sustainable practices and innovative waste management solutions.
In FY24, the company invested Rs 120.8 crore towards commissioning renewable energy initiatives like solar power and biogas. It has further pledged to increase the investment approximately fourfold to Rs 450 crore spread over three years starting FY25. This will significantly boost MSIL’s environmental sustainability initiatives.
The pilot plant is designed to produce 0.2 tonnes of biogas daily. The anticipated output is about 1 lakh standard cubic meters of biogas in FY25. It will offset approximately 190 tonnes of CO2 per annum. Imbibing principles of circularity, the company will be using food waste from canteens and Napier grass as raw materials. The pilot biogas plant will provide energy for the manufacturing processes of the company’s Manesar facility. The residual organic manure will be utilized in horticulture effectively making it a zero-discharge model.
Speaking on the company’s upcoming green energy initiatives, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “Energy is one of the critical inputs in the manufacturing process. As we ramp up our production capacity from around 2 million to 4 million by 2030-31, we are also accelerating our efforts to increase the share of sustainable and renewable energy sources across our operations. This is in line with Suzuki’s Environment Vision 2050 and Govt of India’s renewable energy focus.”
He further added, “The biogas plant at Manesar is another step towards fostering a cleaner and more sustainable energy landscape at MSIL and the industry at large. Just as we bring multiple technologies in our products, we would also focus on multiple renewable energy sources to make our operations greener.”
Takeuchi added, “We strategically invest in our existing and upcoming facilities to ensure they are environmentally sustainable by optimizing energy consumption, integrating renewable energy sources, implementing efficient waste management protocols, and conserving water resources. The learning from this pilot will be implemented at our upcoming world-class manufacturing facilities.”
