Junagadh: Satadhar Dham in Gujarat’s Junagadh district has emerged as a notable example of institutional use of biogas, with its community kitchen serving around 10,000 pilgrims daily using fuel generated entirely from cow dung.

Associated with Sant Apa Giga and known for its Sandhya Aarti, the site’s ‘Alakhno Otlo’ is also being positioned as a model for alternative energy use. The largest biogas installation in the state is currently operational at the Dham.

The facility comprises four biogas plants, each with a capacity of 85 cubic meters per day, while two additional plants of similar capacity are under construction. Around 1,000 cows are housed at the premises, generating nearly 8,000 kg of cow dung daily, which is used as feedstock for biogas production.

The kitchen at Satadhar Dham operates entirely on this biogas. According to the management, cooking was earlier done using 800–900 kg of firewood daily, and later through 10–15 LPG cylinders per day, before shifting completely to biogas. The slurry generated from the process is utilised in agricultural activities within the campus.

The Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) provides financial assistance for such projects under the Institutional Biogas Plant Scheme, and Satadhar Dham has been a beneficiary of this support.

Across the state, 193 institutional biogas plants have been set up over the last five years, with a combined capacity of 13,955 cubic meters per day. These installations are supported through subsidies provided by GEDA.

Biogas is produced by decomposing organic waste such as livestock, agricultural, and kitchen waste in an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment. The resulting gas is used as a cooking fuel, while the by-product slurry serves as a nitrogen-rich organic fertiliser.

The state government’s institutional biogas scheme aims to promote the scientific use of organic waste, enhance energy self-reliance, and reduce environmental impact. Financial assistance of up to 75% of project cost is provided to non-profit institutions and up to 50% to others, for plants with capacities ranging from 25 to 85 cubic meters.

For 2025–26, a budget provision of Rs. 12 crore has been made under the scheme, with around 60 new plants under implementation. A similar outlay and target have been proposed for 2026–27. DeshGujarat