TheBioenergySite Latest News
India prepares 'Biomass Atlas' to map and tap bioenergy potential
INDIA - India is implementing one of the world’s largest programmes in renewable energy. The country ranks second in the world for biogas utilization and fifth in wind power. But the largest potential can be found in energy from biomass.In order to map and tap this potential, the Indian government is designing a 'Biomass Atlas', utilising satellite data as inputs for geographical information systems.
The biomass potential from 20 million hectares of waste-land is estimated to be around 45,000 MW. The current assumption is that these lands will be yielding around 10 tonnes of woody biomass per hectare per year, with an average lower heating value of 16.75MJ per kilogram, which can be converted in biomass power plants with an efficiency of around 30%.
With the establishment of new sugar mills and the modernization of existing ones, the technically feasible potential for bagasse cogeneration is estimated to be around 5000 MW. Another 16,900MW can be obtained from agricultural and plantation residues.The total biomass potential in India is therefor estimated to be around 66,880MW.
In order to realise this potential, a major inter-ministerial initiative is underway: the production of a detailed atlas to accurately asses the nation-wide biomass resource base, including agricultural residues, that are suitable for conversion into energy.A similar effort is in the pipeline for wind power and hydropower.
The potential for wind is based on areas having a wind power density (wpd) greater than 200 W/m2, assuming 1 percent of the land in these areas is available for wind farms at 12 hectares per MW. Not all of these areas may be technically feasible or economically viable for grid-connected power.
The technically feasible and economically viable potential for hydropower is generally accepted to be around 40% of the total estimated potential.
Accordingly, the technically feasible and economically viable small hydropower potential (up to 25MW) would be around 6000MW.
Current estimates of the technically feasible municipal waste-to-energy potential is assessed at 1700 MW.
India recently announced it is implementing a database of all standing crops, based on satellite data. This real-time monitoring will be an invaluable input to the central and state governments to make timely interventions through critical decisions on support prices, credit availability, import and export policies, insurance schemes, irrigation schedules and, indeed, the use of biomass for energy. All agricultural crops have been mapped for the purpose and a 'biomass index' has been developed.
TheBioenergySite News Desk
Latest Bioenergy Industry News
Commissioner Piebalgs Attends International Conference on Biofuels
Daewoo Logistics Biofuel Project for Madagascar
Biodiesel from Urban Waste
Egypt Wants Brazilian know-how in Biofuels
Inland Empire Oilseeds Starts Biodiesel Production
Biofuel Subsidies in China- CME: Crude Oil Prices Impact Livestock Production
€50m Set for Wind Farm Investment
Planning Notice for Aegir Offshore Wind Farm Submitted- Agreement on Viability of Mammoth Ethanol Facility
