Biomass, a plant or animal material used for fuel, plays a significant role in the generation of heat and electricity. In India, biomass is pivotal to rural areas where over 70% of the population depends on it for energy needs. The Ministry of Power in India is contemplating limiting coal supply to those plants that fail to adhere to the norms of biomass co-firing. The Power Ministry issued an order in October 2021 insisting all thermal power plants comply with a 5% cogeneration from biomass by October 2022.
Biomass Co-Firing: An Overview
Biomass co-firing refers to the practice of replacing a portion of coal fuel with biomass in coal thermal power plants. This process involves combusting coal and biomass together in boilers designed for coal burning. To enable co-firing, the existing coal power plant must be partially retrofitted and reconstructed. Biomass co-firing is globally accepted as an effective method for decarbonisation, making it an appealing choice for India, a country abundant in biomass.
The Significance of Biomass Co-firing
Biomass co-firing offers numerous benefits. It effectively reduces emissions from open crop residue burning and decarbonises electricity generation using coal. A substitution of 5-7% of coal with biomass in coal-based power plants may save up to 38 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, it addresses India’s problem of farm stubble burning while reducing the waste burden and creating job opportunities in rural areas.
The Challenges Ahead
Despite its advantages, biomass co-firing faces multiple challenges. The existing infrastructure lacks robustness to replace 5-7% of coal with biomass in coal-based power plants. While India requires approximately 95,000-96,000 tonnes of biomass pellets per day for co-firing, the current pellet manufacturing capacity is only around 7,000 tonnes per day. This wide gap results from the seasonal availability and unreliable supply of biomass pellets. Furthermore, storing biomass pellets for long durations is difficult as they quickly absorb moisture from the air, making them inappropriate for co-firing.
Understanding Biomass
Biomass, derived from plant or animal material, serves as a fuel to produce heat or electricity. Wood, energy crops and waste from forests, yards, or farms are typical examples. It is renewable, widely available, and carbon-neutral. Moreover, it has the potential to provide employment in rural areas. About 32% of India’s total primary energy use is still derived from biomass.
Biomass Power & Cogeneration Programme
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy initiated the Biomass Power & Cogeneration Programme. The programme emphasizes efficient utilization of biomass and has taken up bagasse-based cogeneration in sugar mills and biomass power generation as part of its initiative.
Other Related Initiatives
Several related initiatives are underway in India, including the National Mission on the Use of Biomass in Coal-Based Thermal Power Plants, Carbon Capture and Storage, and Coal Beneficiation. These initiatives aim to promote technologies for the optimal use of the country’s biomass resources for grid power generation.
The Way Forward
For effective biomass co-firing without any adverse environmental impact, emerging economies like India need to prepare suitable technology and policy measures. Platforms ensuring farmers’ significant role in the pellet manufacturing and co-firing business model should be established. Integrating sustainability indicators for bioenergy into policy measures, such as the protection of soil and water resources, biodiversity, land allocation and tenure, and food prices, is necessary.
Conclusion (UPSC Civil Service Examination Previous Year Question)
A question from the 2019 Civil Service Examination asked candidates to identify the gases released into the atmosphere due to the burning of crop/biomass residue. The correct answer was Carbon Monoxide, Methane, Ozone, and Sulphur Dioxide. This emphasizes the important role biomass plays as a renewable energy source and the need to effectively manage its use.
