India's Armed Forces are exploring biogas stoves and expanded solar and wind energy to conserve LPG and fuel amid the global energy crisis triggered by the Iran war. Orders to procure biogas stoves will be initiated soon by the Army, officials told The Indian Express. Restrictions on vehicle movements are also under discussion.
India's Armed Forces are adopting measures to conserve Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and fuel amid the global energy crisis stemming from the Iran war, senior officials told The Indian Express.
Orders to procure biogas stoves are in the pipeline and will be initiated soon by the Army. Currently, 125-135 grams of gas is authorised per soldier per day for cooking. Army units consume about 156,000 kg of cooking gas daily, with biogas potentially saving 20 per cent, or 30,000 kg.
Discussions include restricting large Army convoys for administrative purposes to 400 km, maximising rail use beyond that. "Implementing limited restrictions on routine Army vehicle movements without affecting operational efficiency is being deliberated," an official said. This involves vehicle pooling, combining duties, and encouraging CNG or electric civil transport.
Operational flying remains unaffected, though routine flights may be optimised. In December last year, plans were reported to utilise 46,000 acres of defence land for solar and biogas plants. In October 2024, NTPC partnered with the Army for a 200kW solar hydrogen microgrid at Chushul in Ladakh, replacing diesel gensets.
