Maruti Suzuki Starts A Pilot Biogas Plant At Manesar Facility

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is launching a pilot biogas plant at its Manesar facility in the fiscal year 2024-25. The plant will utilise food waste and Napier grass, aligning with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ‘Waste to Energy’ program, reflecting a commitment to sustainable practices and innovative waste management.

In FY2023-24, MSIL invested ₹120.8 crore in renewable energy projects, including solar power and biogas. The company plans to increase this investment to approximately ₹450 crore over the next three years, starting in FY 2024-25, significantly enhancing its environmental sustainability efforts.

The pilot plant aims to produce 0.2 tons of biogas daily, with an expected output of around 1 lakh standard cubic metres of biogas in FY 2024-25, offsetting about 190 tonnes of CO2 annually. The plant will use food waste from canteens and Napier grass as raw materials, and the resulting organic manure will be utilized in horticulture, promoting a zero-discharge model. The energy generated will support the manufacturing processes at the Manesar facility.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO of MSIL, emphasised the importance of energy in manufacturing and outlined the company’s plans to double production capacity by 2030-31 while increasing the share of renewable energy. This initiative is part of Suzuki’s Environment Vision 2050 and the Indian government's renewable energy goals. The biogas plant at Manesar is a step towards a sustainable energy future for MSIL and the industry.

Maruti Suzuki is also focusing on green manufacturing practices at its Manesar and Kharkhoda facilities. In FY2023-24, the company expanded its solar capacity to 43.2 MWp. It plans to add 15 MWp of solar capacity to the Manesar plant and 20 MWp to the Kharkhoda plant over the next two years, aiming for a total solar capacity of 78.2 MWp by FY2025-26. These initiatives support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7.