Appointment comes as India implements the ₹23,731-crore GOBARdhan framework aimed at accelerating CBG deployment and improving project viability
NEW DELHI (India CSR): Varun Karad, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, REnergy Dynamics, has been appointed Co-Chair of the Committee on Compressed Biogas (CBG) under the CII National Committee on Bioenergy for 2026-27. The appointment comes as the Government moves into implementation of the Rs. 23,731-crore GOBARdhan framework, with detailed operational guidelines issued this month to accelerate CBG deployment and strengthen project viability. The framework seeks to address structural constraints that have historically affected the scale-up of CBG projects, including demand visibility, pricing, project financing, pipeline connectivity and capital support. The Government expects the scheme to support nearly ten-fold growth in domestic CBG production over its implementation period.
With the policy architecture evolving towards greater demand and revenue visibility, the next phase of growth will increasingly depend on translating these measures into bankable projects, reliable feedstock ecosystems, commercially viable plants and predictable offtake.
Under the leadership of Tarun Sawhney, Chairman, CII National Committee on Bioenergy, and Roshan Tamak, Chair of the Committee on Compressed Biogas, Karad will work alongside fellow Co-ChairVivek Taneja, to advance industry-led initiatives, strengthen the CBG ecosystem and facilitate engagement with policymakers, relevant ministries and other stakeholders to accelerate the sector’s growth.
Varun Karad, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, REnergy Dynamics, said, “India’s CBG sector is at an important inflection point. The new policy framework provides greater demand and revenue visibility, but the real test will be translating that certainty into projects that are commercially viable, financeable and operationally resilient. The industry now needs to focus on the ecosystem around the plant, including reliable feedstock aggregation, long-term offtake, infrastructure, financing and efficient execution. I look forward to working with CII, industry stakeholders and policymakers to identify and advance practical interventions that can accelerate the next phase of CBG growth.”
The committee will focus on policy advocacy, industry-government engagement and identifying practical interventions that can enable the sector to move from individual projects towards a more integrated and scalable CBG ecosystem.
The first meeting of the CII group on Compressed Biogas, held on September 24, brought together industry stakeholders to discuss the newly operationalized GOBARdhan framework, key policy priorities and the group’s workplan. Discussions also focused on continued engagement with line ministries and stakeholders as the new policy architecture is implemented.
The new GOBARdhan framework brings together measures covering assured CBG offtake, administered pricing, capital assistance, pipeline infrastructure, credit support and an ecosystem challenge fund. Under the operational guidelines, eligible producers can opt for assured offtake of up to 100% of CBG available for sale, subject to technical and operational feasibility, while the administered pricing framework provides a minimum ten-year horizon for greater price visibility.
The framework is expected to create greater visibility across the CBG value chain. Continued industry and policy attention will, however, be required across areas such as feedstock aggregation, project financing, infrastructure, taxation, by-product monetisation and development of diversified demand for CBG.
As India seeks to increase the role of CBG in its energy mix, the committee will provide a platform for developers, technology providers and other stakeholders to engage on the commercial, operational and policy conditions required for sustainable growth.
