Maruti Suzuki Introduces a Biogas Facility at Manesar
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has unveiled a biogas plant at its Manesar facility for the fiscal year 2024-25. This project, part of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s ‘Waste to Energy’ program, converts in-house food waste and Napier grass into energy. In the fiscal year 2023-24, MSIL invested ₹120.8 crore in renewable energy projects, including solar power and biogas. Over the next three years, the company plans to invest an additional ₹450 crore in renewable energy initiatives as part of its environmental sustainability efforts.
The biogas plant at Manesar is designed to produce 0.2 tons of biogas per day, equating to about 100,000 standard cubic meters of biogas in FY 2024-25. This initiative is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 190 tonnes annually. The leftover organic manure from the plant will be utilized for horticulture purposes.
Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India highlighted the importance of sustainable energy in manufacturing. “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 aligns with Suzuki’s Environment Vision 2050 and the Indian government’s renewable energy focus."
Takeuchi emphasized that the biogas plant at Manesar is a step towards fostering a cleaner and more sustainable energy landscape at MSIL and within the industry. He stated, "Just as we are integrating multiple technologies into our products, we are also focusing on multiple renewable energy sources to make our operations greener."
Additionally, Takeuchi mentioned strategic investments in both existing and new facilities to ensure environmental sustainability. This includes optimizing energy use, incorporating renewable energy sources, implementing efficient waste management systems, and conserving water. MSIL is actively shifting towards green manufacturing practices at its Manesar and Kharkhoda facilities. The company increased its solar capacity to 43.2 Megawatt peak in FY 2023-24 and plans to add 15 MWp at the Manesar plant and 20 MWp at the upcoming Kharkhoda plant over the next two years, aiming for a total solar capacity of 78.2 MWp by FY26.