Biogas : Biomass Huge Potential
Biomass is an important source of energy with potential to generate power to the extent of more than 50 per cent 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 tonnes 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 crore every year. Biomass available in India comprises of rice husk, rice straw, bagasse, coconut shell, jute, cotton, husk etc. It can be obtained by raising energy farms or may be obtained from organic waste. 
Biomass Fuel Briquettes
Biomass Briquetting is the process of converting low bulk density biomass into high density and energy concentrated fuel briquettes. Biomass Briquetting plants are of various sizes, which converts biomass into solid fuels. Briquettes are ready substitute of coal/wood in industrial boiler and brick kiln for thermal application. Biomass briquettes are renewable in nature, eco-friendly, non-polluting and economical. Process of converting biomass to solid fuel is also non-polluting. It has not required to add any binder/chemicals so it is 100 per cent natural
Loading/unloading and transportation costs are much less and storage requirement is drastically reduced. Compared to fire wood or loose biomass, briquettes give much higher boiler efficiency because of low moisture and higher density. Briquettes produced from briquetting of biomass are fairly good substitute for coal, lignite, firewood and offer numerous advantages. —Organiser Bureau
Country's largest biogas plant producing 5,000 cubic meters of gas per day using agriculture waste and animal dung was inaugurated at Sundarpur village of Umreth taluka in Anand district in February this year. The man behind the plant is Dr Bharat Patel of Ahmedabad. He plans to set up 15 more such plants in Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Mehsana, Junagadh and Rajkot.
The Sundarpur plant supplies over 5,000 cubic meter gas to nearby industries, where it is used in furnaces, wielding work and melting copper. “This biogas can be used by households, small industries and even as fuel for vehicles. Once the capacity goes up we can even generate power. This way the entire village can become self-sufficient in terms of energy,” Dr Patel added.
Bullocks for PowerThis is the energy generation idea being nurtured by engineer. PA Vivekananda Pai, popularly known as Vivek. He is an architect by profession and also is national secretary of the Vijnan Bharati. He has been deliberating with like-minded people about finding an eco-friendly and cost saving energy generation device for the last few years. During his traverse through several ideas and papers, he came across the idea of utilising animal power for energy generation. |
(July 19, 2015 Page : 24-25)
