feature article

Biomass Replacing and LPG

Brijesh Rawat, Rural Renewable Urja Solutions Pvt. Ltd

a waste with no economic value. It is often burnt inefficiently in open fields, ndia is extremely dependent on causing air . However, this the use of fossil , mainly coal ‘waste’ can be turned into a completely and petroleum. The dependency environment-friendly source of energy is even more evident in the through briquetting. semi-urban areas. On the one Briquettes are simply compressed hand,I several small-scale industries material, which can be used for such as brick kiln manufacturers, heat and electricity generation. Unused, industrial , and food processing use of firewood. The people living in loose, and low-density biomass can be and pharmaceutical industries use rural areas burn firewood inefficiently briquetted to a bulk density of more coal for thermal/heating purposes, (mainly for cooking), which causes than 650 kg/cu m. Biomass briquettes which results in high greenhouse indoor and releases can be used for small and big thermal gas emissions, which are responsible harmful black smoke. Thus, only installations, replacing coal and LPG. for climate change. On the other unreliable and dirty energy is available This, in turn, results in significant hand, institutional kitchens use to the rural population and industries in emission reduction. expensive and polluting LPG (liquefied semi-urban areas. Biomass briquettes can also be petroleum gas). used in small- and big-scale smokeless However, the rural population in Solution chullhas that are based on the does not have access to reliable India has millions of tonnes of unused gasification technology for commercial energy. The main source of energy and available biomass waste. This cooking, as well as at home, replacing for this section of the society is the loose biomass is currently treated as LPG and firewood. In addition, they can

28 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2009 feature article

Biomass in Uttarakhand Unused pine needles from the forests in the state of Uttarakhand amount to 1.8 milion tonnes, says the state forest department. If this quantity can be properly briquetted, it can produce approximately 5 940 000 megawatts of

energy every year. And it will result in enormous CO2 savings. For instance, P 1.3 tonnes of biomass briquettes replaces 1 tonne of coal used by brick

kiln, saving of 1.81 tonnes of CO2 emissions. P 2.5t of biomass briquettes replaces 1 tonne of LPG, saving 2.98 tonnes of

CO2 emissions.

coal replacement in brick kilns and 8000 P Additional income generation for

tCO2 against LPG replacement. transporters. P Employment generation Social and economic benefits opportunity at the production and Biomass will be collected in isolated chullha manufacturing facilities. rural areas where unemployment, be utilized in bio-digesters and gasifiers P Saving for coal and LPG users, as poverty, and other economic for decentralized power generation. briquettes are less expensive than backwardness prevailing. coal/LPG. Sustainable development P The project would lead to the P Help in overcoming the availability development of the region through The use of briquettes based on biomass, crisis for LPG/coal. the generation of employment in a renewable source, will reduce the P Saving environment by controlling these regions. amount of CO ( dioxide) emitted carbon emission. 2 P It will provide economic value to due to the burning of fossil fuels like biomass, agricultural biomass, and coal and LPG. In addition, the collection The way ahead so on. and densification of biomass will The franchise model will be used P It would provide renewable and generate income for the rural people, replicating the same project in different sustainable energy to the industry as well as provide a clean energy for the regions. About five sites have been and aid in hassle-free manufacturing local industry in an environmentally identified in Uttarakhand and Himachal of products. sustainable manner. Pradesh that have the required biomass P It will help rural population to and the industry that needs a clean Current project have access to low-cost new energy alternative. The model will be chullha technology to burn Currently, one project is underway eventually extended to different states biomass efficiently, while reducing at Kotdwara, Uttarakhand. It has a of India. the pollution capacity of producing 15 000 tonnes drastically. of briquetted biomass per year. And it would lead to a carbon offset of around Win–win for all 20 000 tCO /year (total CO per year). 2 2 P C o m p l e t e Not only this, more than 400 people – mobilization that mostly women in rural areas – will also can generate an be employed. employment of Areas of biomass availability have around 500 people been identified and biomass collection during the peak centres, with small grinder facility, are season of biomass being set up. availability. The aim of this project is to save P Preservation of 20 000 of tCO emissions annually from 2 forest from fire. the Kotdwara Unit—12000 tCO2 against

DECEMBER 2009 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3 29