Catalytic loan to scale Kisangas biodigester access for smallholder farmers in Maharashtra
SANTA CLARA, Calif., 2 JULY 2026 — Miller Center Capital, the impact investing arm of Miller Center for Global Impact at Santa Clara University, has funded Cleanergy Tech Solutions, a Pune-based social enterprise helping rural farmers convert cattle manure into clean cooking gas and organic fertilizer. The investment was made in partnership with fund manager Beneficial Returns.
Maharashtra is home to roughly 15 million farmers, about 80 percent of whom are smallholders, and rising fuel and fertilizer costs place growing pressure on household budgets. Fewer than 60 percent of rural households use clean energy as their primary cooking fuel, while many still rely on firewood, crop residue, or dung. Cleanergy’s patented Kisangas biodigester turns cattle manure—abundant across a state with more than 33 million livestock—into cooking gas and nutrient-rich fertilizer. A system serving a household with five or six cattle can produce enough gas for a family of four or five and approximately 100 liters of organic slurry each day, reducing household expenses, improving soil health, and preventing methane emissions from unmanaged manure.
Founder and CEO Dhananjay Abhang’s commitment to rural energy is deeply personal. Abhang grew up in a farming family in a village of roughly 600 households, where he saw firsthand the challenges facing rural communities. After graduating, he spent eight years at clean-cooking company First Energy, gaining experience in product development and an understanding of the needs of underserved customers. He founded Cleanergy in 2019 to apply that experience to biogas solutions designed for farmers.
Patient Capital to Fuel Cleanergy’s Next Stage of Growth
“Farmers already have the inputs for energy and fertilizer on their own farms,” said Abhang. “Kisangas helps them turn cattle waste into useful resources and reduce everyday expenses. Demand for our solutions is growing, but scaling also requires the right materials and service capacity. This patient capital will help us deliver reliably as we reach more farmers.”
The loan will finance advance purchases of raw materials that help Cleanergy maintain optimal inventory levels and reduce delays between customer payment and installation. Cleanergy is preparing to install at least 1,000 units in the coming fiscal year, up to three times its recent annual volume.
“Cleanergy connects climate resilience directly to household economics,” said Paul Belknap, director of impact investing at Miller Center for Global Impact. “Farmers can reduce recurring energy and fertilizer costs while putting agricultural waste to productive use. This investment addresses the working capital constraint behind delivering that impact consistently and at scale.”
Cleanergy first joined Miller Center through the Chevron Climate Resilience Asia Pacific accelerator in 2021 and has since participated in its In-Residence program, hosted Santa Clara University student fellows, and engaged in leadership coaching and the Climate Finance Community of Practice. This investment reflects Miller Center Capital’s approach of pairing catalytic finance with long-term accompaniment.
About Cleanergy Tech Solutions
Cleanergy Tech Solutions Private Limited designs and delivers decentralized biogas systems for farmers, institutions, and industrial customers. Its Kisangas biodigester enables smallholder farmers to convert cattle manure and other organic waste into clean cooking gas and organic fertilizer. Cleanergy is headquartered in Pune, India.
About Miller Center Capital
Miller Center Capital is the impact-investing arm of Miller Center for Global Impact at Santa Clara University. The Innovation Fund, managed by Beneficial Returns, is one part of this initiative, providing catalytic loans to early-growth-stage social enterprises that reduce poverty by advancing women’s economic power and building climate resilience. Founded in 1997, Miller Center has supported 1,600 social enterprises in more than 100 countries.
About Beneficial Returns
Beneficial Returns is an impact investment manager that finances social enterprises working to alleviate poverty and protect the natural environment in Latin America and Southeast Asia. In addition, the firm serves as fund manager for Miller Center Capital, where it provides investments to Miller Center graduates worldwide.
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Media Contact:
Karen Carter
Director of Marketing Communications
Miller Center for Global Impact
kcarter1@scu.edu
Investment Contact:
Paul Belknap
Director of Impact Investing
Miller Center for Global Impact
pbelknap@scu.edu
