Renewable Energy is garnering significant focus in current times due to escalating environmental concerns. Within this domain, biomass electricity has emerged as a novel area of interest for policy makers, regulators and researchers. As India seeks to transition to non-carbon intensive sources of power generation, biomass-based electricity is gaining traction, accounting for around 2.6% of the country’s electricity demand.
A Breakthrough in Biomass Boiler Technology
Recently, an advanced Denmark-based boiler technology was unveiled in Kurukshetra, Haryana, India. It has the capacity to handle diverse types of agricultural residues as fuel. This is anticipated to not only be environmentally friendly but also mitigate the issues associated with stubble burning. This innovative boiler has a capacity of 75 tonnes per hour and generates 15 megawatts of electricity.
Unique Features and Advantages
The distinctive feature of this boiler is its vibrating grate, which allows it to fire a broad range of fuels with minimal preparation and handling. As a result, energy consumed for processing biomass prior to energy generation is significantly saved. Notably, unlike conventional boilers which are restricted to specific types of biomass such as paddy husk and straw, this vibrating grate technology supports firing any kind of biomass material. Moreover, this boiler technology accommodates biomass of various densities, provided that the moisture content falls within the 15-20% range.
An Overview of Biomass
Biomass refers to renewable organic materials derived from plants and animals. It finds its usage in facility heating, electric power generation, and combined heat and power. Biomass can be converted into electric power through several methods such as direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion. Each method has its unique advantages and disadvantages.
Government Initiatives towards Biomass Energy Generation
The Indian government is actively promoting the utilisation of biomass resources for power generation through the implementation of the Biomass Power & Cogeneration Programme. The programme offers financial assistance for projects that use biomass such as bagasse, agro-based industrial residue, crop residues, and wood waste for power generation.
Exploring Biomass as A Source of Renewable Energy
Biomass has the upper hand over many other renewable energy options due to its dispatchability i.e., it can be controlled and made available as per requirement. Nevertheless, there are challenges associated with biomass usage. The fuel needs to be procured, delivered, stored, and paid for. Furthermore, biomass combustion leads to emissions, which need to be closely monitored and regulated to comply with environmental norms.
Biomass and UPSC Civil Services Examination
In the UPSC Civil Services Examination, there have been questions regarding the use of by-products of the sugar industry. In 2013, one such question asked about the usefulness of bagasse and molasses, both by-products of sugar production. Bagasse can serve as a biomass fuel for energy generation and for the production of paper board, chemicals and more. Molasses, on the other hand, can be used for producing alcohol and helps in livestock feeding due to its sugar content.