What Are The Popular Biomass Used In India?
Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals, and it is a renewable energy source. It contains stored energy from the sun. Biomass can be burned directly or converted to liquid biofuels or biogas that can be burned as fuels. Examples of biomass and their uses for energy include wood and wood waste, municipal solid waste, landfill gas, biogas, ethanol, biodiesel, and algae-based fuels.
Biomass is considered a renewable energy source because the energy it contains comes from the sun. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants convert the sun’s energy into stored chemical energy. When biomass is burned, it releases the chemical energy stored by the plants as heat. As long as biomass resources are managed sustainably, the supply will not be depleted.
Biomass resources play a significant role in renewable energy supply in India. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, biomass power and cogeneration contribute 17% of total installed capacity from renewable energy sources in India. The country has a potential of about 25,000 MW from surplus biomass resources, so there are opportunities for substantial growth in biomass use for energy.
Agricultural Waste
India produces large quantities of agricultural waste that can be utilized as biomass feedstock. Crop residues like straw, stalks, leaves, and husks left over after harvesting are abundant and readily available sources of biomass. According to research, India produces about 500-550 million tons of crop residues annually (https://www.ibc-asia.org/). Rice husk, wheat straw, and bagasse from sugarcane are some major crop residues used for biomass energy.
Animal manure is another agricultural waste product that contains methane and can be converted to biogas through anaerobic digestion. Cow dung is commonly used for small-scale biogas plants in rural households in India. Poultry litter and other animal wastes also have good biomass energy potential. Proper utilization of agricultural residues and animal manure can help prevent pollution from open burning while also generating renewable energy.
Forest Waste
Forest waste such as wood waste and sawdust represent a significant source of biomass in India. As per a study published in MDPI (Negi, 2023), the annual availability of forest biomass is estimated to be around 96 million metric tons. Sawdust and other wood processing waste make up a major portion of this biomass.
According to another study published in Science Direct (Pande, 2021), India produces around 67 million cubic meters of industrial wood annually. Wood processing industries like saw mills, plywood mills, and furniture workshops generate huge quantities of sawdust and other mill rejects. This sawdust and wood waste has high density and calorific value, making it well-suited for thermal conversion processes like combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis.
Some key advantages of using forest waste as biomass feedstock are its renewable nature, wide availability across India, and lower costs compared to fossil fuels. However, sustainable harvesting practices need to be followed to prevent depletion of forest resources.
Municipal Solid Waste
Municipal solid waste (MSW) refers to the everyday waste generated from households, commercial establishments, and institutions. Over 377,000 metric tons of MSW is generated in urban areas across India every day (https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/15/5805).
The organic fraction of MSW, comprising materials like food waste, paper, and agricultural residues, can be converted into energy through various technologies. Anaerobic digestion of organic waste produces biogas which can be used to generate electricity. Waste can also be incinerated or gasified to produce heat and power.
According to one estimate, nearly 17,000 MW of power can be produced from the calorific value of urban MSW in India (https://www.eai.in/ref/ae/bio/pot/biomass_power_potential.html). Several waste-to-energy projects have already been set up in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Vijayawada.
Government policies like waste segregation at source and financial incentives are critical to harness the full potential of MSW-based biomass in India. Overall, MSW represents an abundant, renewable source of biomass that can significantly contribute to India’s energy security and sustainability objectives.
Industrial Waste
India produces large quantities of agricultural and industrial waste that can be utilized for biomass energy. Key sources of industrial waste biomass include sugar mills, rice mills, distilleries, and pulp/paper industries.1
Sugar mills generate bagasse as a byproduct of sugar production. Bagasse is often used onsite to cogenerate heat and power. There are over 500 sugar mills in India producing around 200 million tonnes of bagasse annually.2
Rice mills produce rice husk as a byproduct. India has over 100,000 rice mills generating about 20 million tonnes of rice husk per year. Rice husk can be used in boilers or gasifiers to produce energy.
Distilleries manufacturing alcohol from molasses generate spent wash. There are over 300 distilleries in India producing over 40 billion liters of spent wash per annum. Spent wash can be used in biomethanation plants to produce biogas.
The pulp and paper industry produces significant quantities of waste bark, wood residues, and black liquor that can be used as feedstock for biomass power plants.
Animal Waste
Animal waste is a significant source of biomass in India. According to Kaur et al. (https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/7/847), India has the potential to produce 16,030 million m3 of biogas from collectable dung considering only dairy animal dung. Poultry litter and cattle dung are commonly used for biogas production in India.
Cattle produce large quantities of dung that can be used to generate biogas. According to Nehra et al. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2589014X23001032), rural areas of Haryana, India alone have the potential to produce 74.795 billion m3 of biogas per year from cattle dung.
Poultry farming is also a major industry in India that produces large amounts of waste in the form of poultry litter. This litter can be anaerobically digested to produce biogas. While the biogas potential from poultry waste is lower than cattle dung, it remains a viable biomass resource in India.
Energy Crops
Energy crops are plants that are specifically grown for energy production, rather than for food, feed, or fiber. In India, some of the common energy crops include jatropha and switchgrass.[1] Jatropha is a drought-resistant perennial plant that produces seeds containing high levels of oil, which can be processed into biodiesel. Switchgrass is a fast-growing grass that can thrive on marginal lands, and the lignocellulosic biomass can be used for direct combustion or converted into cellulosic ethanol.[1]
According to one estimate, around 12% of India’s total land area has potential for growing energy crops.[2] However, currently less than 2% of wasteland has been utilized for raising energy plantations. To fully realize the potential of energy crops, concerted efforts are needed in areas like developing high-yielding varieties, expanding plantation coverage through government incentives, and creating end-use facilities and supply chains.[3]
Algae
Algae are one of the most promising biomass sources in India. Both microalgae and macroalgae species are cultivated for biofuel production. Common microalgae species used include Chlorella, Spirulina, Dunaliella, and Haematococcus. For macroalgae, species such as Gracilaria, Sargassum, and Kappaphycus are commonly cultivated. According to a study by Sudhakar et al. (2014), the biomass yield potential for microalgae cultivation in India is estimated to be 74 grams per square meter per day under ambient conditions. Algae can be cultivated in open ponds, photobioreactors, or integrated systems with wastewater treatment. With abundant sunlight and suitable climates, algae cultivation has good potential for expanded biofuel production in India.
Comparison of Sources
When comparing biomass sources in India, agricultural waste has the most potential and current use. India produces nearly 600-700 million tons of agricultural residues annually, making it the largest source of biomass in the country [1]. Agricultural waste like rice husk, wheat straw, and bagasse from sugarcane are widely used for power generation. Forest waste from timber industry residues, firewood, twigs, and shrubs ranks second in terms of potential. However, increased use of forest waste raises environmental concerns. Municipal solid waste, animal waste, industrial waste, energy crops, and algae have lower current usage for energy production but offer future growth potential [2].
Future Outlook
The future for biomass energy in India looks promising, thanks to supportive government policies and technological improvements. The Indian government has set targets to install 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, including 10 GW from biomass power and cogeneration (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, 20221).
To promote biomass energy, the government offers financial incentives like subsidies, tax exemptions, and preferential tariffs. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has also established the National Bioenergy Mission to coordinate various ministries and programs related to biomass energy development (Shukla, 20092).
On the technology front, improvements are being made to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. For example, new biomass gasification systems have higher electrical efficiency. R&D efforts are also focused on producing biofuels from algal biomass which can supplement fossil fuels (Singh, 20143).
With growing demand for renewable energy, supportive policies, and technological advancements, the future is bright for tapping the vast biomass resources in India.
