Bio Energy
Biomass is yet another important source of energy with potential to generate power to the extent of more than 50% of the country’s requirements. India is predominantly an agricultural economy, with huge quantity of biomass available in the form of husk, straw, shells of coconuts wild bushes etc. With
an estimated production of 350 million tons of agricultural waste every year, biomass is capable of supplementing coal to the tune of about 200 million tonnes producing 17,000 MW of power and resulting in a saving of about Rs.20,000 crores every year. Biomass available in India comprises of rice husk, rice straw, bagasse, coconut shell, jute, cotton, husk etc. Biomass can be obtained by raising energy farms or may be obtained from organic waste. The biomass resources including large quantities of cattle dung can be used in bio-energy technologies viz., biogas, gasifier, biomass combustion, co- generation etc., to produce energy-thermal or electricity. Biomass can be used in three ways – one in the form of gas through gasifiers for thermal applications, second in the form of methane gas to run gas engines and produce power and the third through combustion to produce steam and thereby power.
It is technically possible and economically feasible to generate biogas from cattle dung and certain agro and industrial waste. During Ninth Plan, 12 Biogas plants were installed in livestock farms, educational institutions, agricultural farms, central prisons and sugar mills. 24 Gasifier systems i.e., 23 thermal gasifiers and one electrical gasifier were also installed during Ninth Plan with financial assistance from the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources.
Resource Assessment studies were carried out in 35 Taluks under MNES Programme and 4 Taluks under State programme during Ninth Plan. This will be useful for private entrepreneurs to evolve suitable power projects.
The sugar mills go in for co-generation projects by upgrading their boilers and other accessories suitably so as to supply excess electricity to Tamilnadu Electricity Board. Government of India extends financial assistance up to Rs.45 lakh per MW of surplus power to Co-operative sugar mills and interest subsidy to the Private Sugarmills. At present, the installed capacity through co-generation in sugarmills is 142 MW. Other potential sectors for co-generation are cement, paper, caustic soda, textiles, iron and steel etc., with a total potential of 5600 MW in the country.
The Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources sanctioned a scheme for establishing a 1.2 MW Power plant at Sarkar Uduppam Village in Namakkal District under private sector for energy recovery from poultry wastes as a demonstration project with an assistance of Rs.3.5 crores which will be commissioned during the year 2002. Another demonstration High Biomethnation Project has also been sanctioned under MNES for setting up of a sub-project under UNDP/GEF assisted project for processing of tapioca wastes water for generation of power (500 Kw) and manure in Pappireddipatti of Dharmapuri district under private sector. The project cost is Rs.3.59 crores which will be shared equally by MNES and the beneficiary and the project will be commissioned during the year 2002.