Grassroots Energy | Distributed BioCNG from Agri Waste

Renewable Energy

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy

Company Overview

Grassroots Energy is a Bengaluru-based bioenergy company that converts agricultural residues and organic waste into compressed biogas (BioCNG), also described as renewable natural gas, together with organic fertiliser. The company positions its fuel as a drop-in replacement for coal, LPG, diesel and furnace oil, and supplies it to industrial buyers and city gas distribution operators.

The business grew out of a stated mission to end energy poverty in rural areas and enable soil regeneration. Its first project was a 30 kW solar-biogas minigrid commissioned in 2017. It has since set up several minigrids, whose power supports agro-processing, drinking water treatment, clean cooking, last-mile connectivity and other income-generating activities for farmers and micro-entrepreneurs.

The company was co-founded by Mateen Abdul, who serves as chief executive, together with Firas Ahmad and Dr. Shyamali Sarma. Its Indian operating entity, Grassroots Energy Technologies India Private Limited, was incorporated in December 2016 and is recorded as active in corporate filings.

In 2024 the company stated plans to expand significantly in compressed biogas supply, with letters of intent for city gas and industrial thermal projects under techno-commercial evaluation. Its current public positioning also refers to a pathway to bio-hydrogen using the same feedstock and process architecture, and to biochar as a soil product that stores carbon.

Why These SDGs Matter

SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) applies because the company produces renewable gas from waste and has delivered solar-biogas minigrids that supply power and clean cooking fuel to rural users who lack reliable access.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) is relevant because agricultural residues that would otherwise decompose or be burned become fuel, and the digestate is processed into organic fertiliser that substitutes for chemical inputs. This closes a nutrient and carbon loop rather than treating the waste as a disposal problem.

SDG 13 (Climate Action) is directly supported through two mechanisms. Capturing methane from decomposing residues reduces a potent greenhouse gas, and replacing coal, LPG, diesel or furnace oil with BioCNG lowers fossil fuel combustion emissions for industrial customers seeking Scope 1 reductions. Biochar adds a further route to carbon storage in soil, according to the company's own materials.

Products & Services
  • BioCNG supply for industrial thermal applications
  • Compressed biogas for city gas distribution blending
  • Modular biogas enrichment units for small and large sites
  • Decentralised biogas plants using plug flow digesters
  • Solar-biogas minigrids for rural communities
  • Solid and liquid organic fertiliser from digestate
  • Biochar for soil carbon storage
  • Bio-hydrogen pathway from waste feedstock
  • Site selection and farmer organisation engagement support
Business Challenges Solved
  • Limited clean fuel options for industrial process heat
  • Scope 1 emissions from coal, LPG, diesel and furnace oil
  • Methane release and burning of agricultural residues
  • Sparse gas-grid access in rural regions
  • Import dependence in city gas supply
  • High chemical fertiliser costs for smallholder farmers
  • Diesel-based backup power at decentralised utility sites
Approach & Methodology

Grassroots Energy builds its delivery model around distributed plants placed close to feedstock rather than large centralised facilities. Agricultural residues are collected locally, often with the help of farmer producer organisations, and are pretreated to give a consistent input. Cavitation is one pretreatment method the company has described.

For digestion, small-scale sites use plug flow digesters made from UV-resistant polymers supplied by partners FOV Biogas and Sistema Biobolsa, paired with proprietary pre-digesters. Industrial-scale sites use continuous stirred-tank reactors in mesophilic and thermophilic configurations, with thermophilic operation held at temperatures up to 55 degrees Celsius to raise gas yield.

Enrichment happens in two stages. A proprietary rotating disc scrubber operating at low pressure raises methane content to 80 to 85 per cent. Membrane technology from a German partner then lifts it to 92 to 95 per cent. A separate small-scale upgrading unit, developed with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, is modular and handles 240 cubic metres per day.

Compression and bottling allow gas to be moved from the production point to offtake sites. Residual slurry is separated into solid and liquid organic fertilisers. Project delivery also covers site selection, local partner identification, farmer organisation engagement, fertiliser demonstration and ongoing monitoring.

Market Position

Grassroots Energy operates in India's compressed biogas segment, with two customer groups: industrial users replacing fossil fuels for thermal applications, and city gas distribution companies blending BioCNG into pipelines. The company has also discussed supplying decentralised plants for a private utility to replace diesel backup power.

Its positioning rests on small, modular plants near the feedstock source, which it contrasts with distant mega-plants. Technology choices include a low-pressure rotating disc scrubber and a modular small-scale upgrading unit developed with IIT Bombay. The company reports that its enrichment approach is three times more energy efficient than mainstream alternatives, a company-reported figure published through the Solar Impulse Foundation platform. Pricing depends on offtake agreements and volumes, and the company references government support such as minimum bio-CNG pricing under the SATAT scheme.

Procurement Considerations
  • Confirm feedstock availability and supply arrangements near the proposed plant site
  • Check methane purity against burner, engine or pipeline specifications
  • Review offtake terms, including pricing basis, volumes and contract duration
  • Confirm project status, as several announced capacities were at letter of intent stage in 2024
  • Verify compression, storage and transport arrangements for gas delivery
  • Request the emissions accounting method and third-party verification for Scope 1 and Scope 3 claims
  • Ask for management system certifications such as ISO 14001 and ISO 9001
  • Check regulatory approvals, plant safety permits and CBG-CGD blending requirements
Funding, Recognition & Ecosystem
  • Energy Access Booster programme (SEforALL with partners): financial contribution plus technical and advisory support
  • Solar Impulse Foundation: member, with its biomethane enrichment and storage solution listed as a labelled solution
  • Energy Leap start-up cohort, listed as a bioenergy start-up
  • Research collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on small-scale biomethane enrichment

Natnavi Analysis

Grassroots Energy matters because India's compressed biogas programme depends on aggregating dispersed crop residues, a logistics problem that large centralised plants struggle with. A modular, near-source design addresses that constraint and gives industrial buyers a drop-in fuel option where gas grids are sparse.

The company's sustainability contribution spans methane capture, fossil fuel displacement and nutrient recycling, and its engineering description is unusually specific for an early-stage firm, naming digester types, enrichment stages and methane purity ranges. Its rural minigrid work, dating to 2017, gives it field experience with farmer engagement and feedstock sourcing.

Strengths include a documented technical partnership with IIT Bombay, recognition through Solar Impulse and Energy Leap, and a two-segment offtake strategy covering industry and city gas networks.

The main points for readers to weigh are execution and scale. Several announced capacities were at letter of intent stage in 2024, and the pathway to bio-hydrogen is presented as a development direction. Climate benefit figures published by the company are described as illustrative and depend on feedstock and site conditions. Buyers should treat Grassroots Energy as an emerging supplier whose commercial record will be established by commissioned plants.

Sources & References
Website
Founded: 2015 (
Company Stage: Startup
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Geographic Presence
Grassroots Energy is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, and operates in India. Its minigrid work serves rural communities, while its compressed biogas pipeline covers proposed city gas supply in Unnao, Firozabad and Dakshin Kannada, and industrial thermal projects. Its customers are industrial users and city gas distribution operators.
Solution Type
Service Provider, Technology Provider
Sustainability Outcomes
Carbon Reduction, Circular Economy, Renewable Energy Adoption, Sustainable Agriculture, Waste Reduction
Industries Served
Agriculture & Food, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing
Last Reviewed: October 8, 2026

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