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Biomass power target on track

EM NEWS BUREAU ,  Thursday, December 09, 2010, 17:08 Hrs  [IST]

India's biomass capacity addition programme for the ongoing XI Plan period appears to be on track. According to information tabled in Parliament, a total of 460 mw of new capacity has been installed in the XI Plan so far, against the Plan target of 500 mw. The country is also on course to have cumulative biomass-based power capacity of 1,000 mw with 980 mw being the achievement realized so far.

Chhattisgarh is currently the leading state with respect to installed biomass-based power capacity. With 226 mw of capacity, it accounts for nearly a fourth of the country's total. Andhra Pradesh with 210 mw comes a close second, followed by Tamil Nadu (179 mw) and Maharashtra with 126 mw (see table).

Statistics further indicate that over 380 mw worth biomass- based power plants are under various stages of implementation. Of these, the maximum of 100 mw is in Maharashtra. Chhattisgarh appears to be consolidating its leadership position with 71 mw of biomass power plants under development. It is also interesting to note that in the near future, states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa would be making their debut on India's biomass power map.

The Centre is encouraging setting up of biomass power plants through various technological routes like combustion and gasification. Various financial incentives like capital subsidy, concessional import duty on machinery and components and accelerated depreciation, are being offered to biomass power projects. The total potential of biomass-based power in India, based on agro and forest residues, is estimated at around 16,500 mw, implying a very large proportion of the potential is yet untapped.

The above discussion does not take into account energy (electricity) generated from bagasse-based power plants attached to sugar mills, which is growing to be big source of clean energy and a profitable business for sugar companies. According to information available, India's potential for bagasse-based cogeneration power projects is around 5,000 mw out of which 1,307 mw was realized up to December 2009. During the first three quarters of 2010-11, a total of 259 mw of bagassebased cogeneration capacity was achieved.

It is estimated that a typical sugar mill with a capacity of 2,500 tccpd (tonnes of cane crushed per day) can co-generate bagasse-based power to the tune of 13.5 mw. After meeting the captive requirement of 4.5 mw, it would have an exportable surplus of 9 mw.

Biomass-based power capacity
(MW)
State
Operational
Under Impl.
Chhattisgarh
226
71
Andhra Pradesh
210
8
Tamil Nadu
179
28
Maharashtra
126
100
Karnataka
82
0
Rajasthan
71
20
Punjab
51
18
West Bengal
16
24
Uttar Pradesh
15
21
Haryana
4
0
Gujarat
0
30
Madhya Pradesh
0
44
Orissa
0
20
Total
980
383
 
                 
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