Lok Sabha Question No. 4292 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-18
Subject: Use of Farm Stubble in Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Chandra Sekhar Sahu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4292 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2019

## USE OF FARM STUBBLE IN POWER PLANTS

4292. SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  has  implemented  the  mixing  of  farm  stubble pellets  up  to  10%  of  the  total  fuel  in  a  power  plant  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;

(b) whether mixing of farm stubble pellets will affect the efficiency in terms of gross calorific value and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the NTPC has completed test runs and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether  the  NTPC  has  planned  to  expand  scheme  of  mixing  of  farm stubble pellets gradually in its all plants and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the use of farm stubble in power plants will increase the power generation cost; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  POWER,  NEW  & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

( SHRI  R.K. SINGH)

(a) : Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has issued an advisory in Nov 2017 to all the coal based power plants to use 5-10% of agro residue based pellets along with coal. CEA has also issued technical specification for pellets/ torrefied pellets. Accordingly, test run was conducted by NTPC for biomass cofiring in its Dadri plant with 100 Metric tonne of biomass pellets after making suitable modification in one unit of 200 MW.

……….2.

(b) : Prolonged biomass co-firing is required to ascertain the effect of mixing of farm stubble pellets on efficiency.

(c) : Test  run  was  conducted  in  Dadri  from  September  2017  onwards with 100 Metric tonne of biomass pellets after making suitable modification in one unit of 200 MW. Now, NTPC is moving forward to start commercial scale biomass co-firing for which purchase order for 200 metric tonnes per day of pellets/ torrefied pellets has already been placed and part supply has begun.

(d) : To  start  biomass  co-firing  in  majority  of  NTPC  power  plants including its JV at Jhajjar, NTPC had invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from entrepreneurs for supply of paddy straw and other agro residue based pellets/ torrefied pellets. About 109 parties have been enlisted through EOI. Bids will be invited soon from enlisted parties to supply pellets/torrefied pellets to NTPC power plants.

(e) & (f) : Use of farm stubble based pellets/torrefied pellets in power plants will increase the generation cost. The increase in variable charge of electricity shall depend upon difference of price between biomass and coal and thus it shall  be  different  for  different  plants  (price  of  agro  residue  based  biomass pellets/ torrefied biomass pellets/briquettes will be discovered through tender). In  addition  to  this,  there  shall  be  a  slight  increase  in  fixed  charge  due  to additional capital expenditure required for biomass material handling infrastructure.

*****************