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4/1/2015 Gasifierfailstodeliver|DownToEarth

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ResidentsofKabbigerevillagetookloanstobuydrip

irrigationkits.Withbiomasspowerfailingthem,theyare

nowdefaultersonloanrepayment/Photographby

AparnaPallavi

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Itisnotjusthighcapacitypowerplantsthatusebiomass.Villagesthatdonothavehopetogetelectricityfromthegrid.MinistryofPower'sprogrammecalledPowerforallby2012envisagespowergenerationutilizinglocallyavailableresources.Ministryestimatesthatabout

1,50,000villagesremainunelectrifiedinthecountryoutofwhicharound18,000villagescannotbelinkedtothegrid.

RemotevillageelectrificationprogrammebyMNREaimstoelectrifythese18,000villagesusingbiomassgasifiersandsolarphotovoltaic.Butoutof5,000villagesthathavebeenelectrifiedsince200203,only40villagesusegasifiers,remainingusesolarPVtechnology.

Toprovidedecentralizedpowertothesevillages,biomassgasificationisnotthepreferredroute."Biomassgasificationisconversionofsolidbiomassintoacombustiblegasmixturecalledproducergasthroughapartialcombustionroutewithlimitedairsupply.Typicalcompositionofproducergasincludeslargequanititesofnitrogen,hydrogen,carbonmonoxideandcarbondioxide,"explainsHSMukundaofIISc.Theproducergasisthenusedtopowergenerators.Mostcommonlyavailablegasifiersusewoodybiomasswhilematerialslikestraw,cottonstalk,coconutshells,soyahusk,deoiledcakes,coffeewaste,jutewastes,groundnutshells,sawdustcanalsobegasified.

Monitoringandgovernanceofbiomassgasifierpowerprojectsisaprobleminremotevillageelectrification.TheBiomassEnergyforRural

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India(BERI)pilotprojectisfundedjointlybyUNGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF),KarnatakagovernmentandIndiaCanadaEnvironmentFacility.Thefirstsuchplant,undertheproject,installedatKabbigerevillageinTumkurdistrictofKarnataka,closeddowntwomonthsagowithgrowingmaintenanceandrawmaterialtroubles.

Theplant,saysGPrabhu,projectcoordinatorforBiomassEnergyforRuralIndia(BERI),blamesvillage'upstarts',buttheplantsupervisorMansoorAhmadhasadifferentstorytotell.Theplanthasacapacityof500kW,butonJanuary12,2010,whentheoperationscloseddownforthelasttime,onlyoneunit,withacapacityof100kWh,wasoperational.

Theplanthasbeenriddledwithtechnicalproblemsrightfromthebeginning,saysAhmad.InJuly2007,whentheplantbecameoperational,thecontractwasgiventoprivatecompaniesbutinMarch2008,theGramPanchayatSamitihadtotakeupoperations.Afterthis,theplantremainedclosedrightthroughthebetterpartof2009,andafterlengthycheckingandrepairsproceduresbyscientistsfromtheIndianInstituteofScienceinBengaluru,theSamiti's100kWhunitbecameoperationalinNovember2009.

"Whiletheexpectedfuelconsumptionwas1.30kgperunitofelectricity,theplantswereactuallyconsuming23kgs,"saysplanttechnicianDharamPal.Meanwhile,discontenthadbeenbrewingamongtheagriculturallabourersfromthevillageoverthelackofaclearpolicyregardinglabourpaymentsduringclosures,whichinturnledtotherecentclosureoftheplant,sayAhmadandpanchayatsamitiassistantsecretaryMrSrinivas."ThepromisemadebyBERIofficials,nevermentionedlimitationsofthetechnology.Theplantcannotsupplyelectricityallthetime.Eachunithastostopafter1,000hoursofworkingformaintenance,"saysAhmad.Twomoregasifierplantswithcapacityof250kWheach,setupunderthesameprojectinnearbyvillagesSibineiahpalayaandBorigunte,alsoremainshutduetothesameproblemsbeingfacedbytheKabbigereplant,heinformed.Prabhusaidthatrecoveryoftariffsisalsodifficultatthevillagelevelsincethepowercannotbeprovidedfor24hours.

Whatismore,underBERI'sproject,microfinanceloansworthRs10lakhfordripirrigationwasdistributedtothevillagers."Itwasexpectedthatthe24hourelectricityfromtheprojectwouldenableustocarryoutdripirrigation,improveourproductionandpayofftheloan,"saidLakshmiDevi,aresident."Butnoelectricitycame,andnowweareallstuckwiththeloan.Villagersandplanttechniciansagreethatthevillagedoesnothaveenoughbiomasstorunalltheunitsoftheplant.Thegasifierrequiresthinsticksofwood(maximumthickness2inches),whichthevillagersprovidebytrimmingtheeucalyptus,acaciaandothertreesinthevillage,someofthesearefromplantationsvillagersgrowfortheplantandsomearefromtreesinthevillagecommons.

Tags:CoverStory,Biomass,BiomassGasification,Energy,FarmResidues,India,Karnataka,MinistryofNewandRenewableEnergy,RuralElectrification,SolarEnergy,Tumkur(D)

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