Punjab's bioenergy potential from agricultural waste estimated at 1000MW; major investments being made

The Indian state of Punjab, in the arid Northwest of the country, is the most celebrated symbol of the Green Revolution's success. Four decades ago, it was a dry, dead-poor, semi-desert region. But heavy investments in agricultural technologies, infrastructures, extension services, education and 'revolutionary' seeds, have resulted in the state becoming India's largest agricultural producer. India has gone from a food-deficit to a food-surplus country largely because of the agricultural transformation of Punjab. (Some think the revolution has now turned sour, but that is another matter).

Punjab is the breadbasket of India, which also means it produces vast amounts of waste biomass, which could potentially be used as a bioenergy feedstock. In a recent proposal submitted to the state government, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) observed that at present, most of these agricultural residues are burnt in the open air, on the fields, leading both to pollution and contributing considerably to climate change. Moreover, valuable energy contained in this biomass is wasted in the process.

The PEDA now estimates that if Punjab were to use the residues in highly-efficient, modern bioenergy systems (such as combined heat -and-power plants) more than 1000MW of energy could be generated from this 'waste' biomass alone.

Punjabis are India's largest energy consumers, with some 790KWh per year per person, against an Indian average of 283KWh per person (Punjab state gov't). Still, compared to Western standards, this is very modest (compare with for example France, where per capita consumption stands at 7584KWh per annum). The 1000MW of power from biomass could satisfy the energy needs of some 8 to 16 million Punjabis (low number if inefficient technologies are used; high number when CHP plants are used).

PEDA thinks the generation of energy from agro-wastes available in Punjab does not only hold a theoretical potential; it could prove to be a cost-effective option as well. It would positively impact "energy conservation, social hygiene, employment generation and women’s health". When comparing fossil fuels and biofuels, all these factors have to be taken into account. In the end, biomass beats oil and coal.

Concrete projects
This is why several bioenergy projects are now underway in the Punjab. The aim is to initiate a decentralised, renewable and clean energy paradigm in the state:
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PEDA, a Punjab-government-run agency, has executed a small waste-to-energy power project with a 1MW capacity, while private developers have set up four biomass and co-generation projects with a total capacity of 21.9MW, also utilising agricultural residues.

Under a special program aimed at decentralising energy production, the government agency has also commissioned eight 'mini and micro' bio-power projects with a total generation capacity of 9.8MW, while private developers have set up ten such projects with a total capacity of 13.65MW.

Cooperation with Japan
Another 57 biomass, co-generation and small hydro projects are under execution, with a projected total capacity of 187.25MW. PEDA has sought soft-loan funding from the Japanese government through the department of economic affairs, Ministry of Finance. A team of senior officials from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation visited Punjab recently on an information-gathering mission.

Peda director S. S. Sekhon said that under the soft-loan scheme of Japan Bank, the agency would set up ten biomass projects in the state at a cost of around 450 crore rupiah (€76/US$100 million). Of this, 405 crore rupiah, or 90%, would come from the Japan Bank and the Punjab government would share the remaining Rs 45 crore.

These biomass projects will generate an additional capacity of 100mw, which will be harnessed in the next five years—2007 to 2012.

More information:
Comparison of Punjab's renewable energy potential with that of India as a whole, at the PEDA website.