India's biogas sector taps 50K ex-army personnel for skill pipeline

The Indian Biogas Association signed a memorandum of understanding with the Army Welfare Placement Organization and Reveille Energy LLP to train roughly 50,000 retired service members for roles in the country's renewable energy industry, the industry body said.

The agreement targets the skill gap in the bioenergy ecosystem, the IBA statement said. AWPO will mobilise and screen candidates nationwide. IBA will arrange industry connections, on-site training, and placement support through its member network. Reveille Energy LLP will handle policy advocacy and strategic coordination.

Gaurav Kedia, Chairman of IBA, said the sector needs skilled manpower to meet sustainability targets. He expects 25,000 to 50,000 retired army personnel in the first phase.

Retired Major General AS Chauhan, Managing Director of AWPO, called the partnership a convergence of national service and development. Colonel Rohit Dev, Founder and Managing Director of Reveille Energy LLP, said veterans' discipline and leadership suit the upstream and midstream bioenergy supply chain, especially in public-private partnership models backed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The move adds a trained workforce to a sector that relies on distributed feedstock collection, plant operations, and maintenance at rural sites. Ex-military personnel bring logistics experience and a structured approach to roles that often operate with limited supervision, two of the executives noted.