Lok Sabha Question No. 3833 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-03
Subject: Burning of Farm Stubble
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3833 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.01.2019

## BURNING OF FARM STUBBLE

3833.  SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE: SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether a large number of farmers particularly from Punjab and Haryana are burning the farm stubble/straw in the absence of viable alternatives, if so, the details thereof;

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

(c) whether  State-run  NTPC  would  float  a  tender  to  buy  farm  stubble  at  Rs. 5,500 per tonne for power plants to restrict farmers from burning, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether mixing of farm stubble pellets will affect the efficiency in terms of gross calorific value, if so, the extent to which it will affect the efficiency;

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

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

(g) whether the use of farm stubble in power plants will increase the power generation cost and if so, the details thereof?

A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

( SHRI  R. K. SINGH )

(a) : Central  Pollution  Control  Board  (CPCB)  has  informed  that  they receive  information  from  Punjab  Remote  Sensing  Centre  (PRSC)  and  Haryana Space Applications  Centre,  Hisar  about  active  fire  incidence  counts  in  Punjab and  Haryana  respectively.  In  Punjab  43686  and  49905  active  fire  incidences were reported in 2017 and 2018 respectively while in Haryana 12564 and 10192 incidences were reported in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

(b) : An  advisory  dated  24.11.2017  was  issued  by  Central  Electricity Authority,  Ministry  of  Power  regarding  utilization  of  5-10%  agro  residue  based pellets along with coal in coal fired power plant through biomass co-firing. NTPC has test fired up to 10% biomass pellets along with coal at its NTPC Dadri plant.

However,  there  is  not  enough  infrastructure  for  collection  and processing of agro residue to pellets. This advisory shall create a large market for agro residue based pellets in power sector. NTPC has already placed an order for supply of 200 Tonnes per day of agro residue based pellets/torrefied pellets for NTPC Dadri plant.

Further,  NTPC  has  invited  expression  of  interest  from  interested parties  for  production  and  supply  of  paddy  straw  and  agro  residue  based pellets/torrefied pellets to all the power plants of NTPC.

- (c) : NTPC  has  invited  expression  of  interest  (EOI)  dated  26.12.2018 from  interested  parties  for  production  and  supply  of  paddy  straw  and  agro residue based pellets/torrefied pellets to all the power plants of NTPC.

Based  on  response  received  in  EOI,  tender  shall  be  floated.  In NTPC's earlier  tender,  the  ceiling  price  of  Rs.  5500  per  tonne  failed  to  attract more investors in this sector and will be done away with in future tenders and price shall be discovered through competitive bidding.

- (d) : Biomass  test  firing  in  Dadri  was  for  short  duration  of  time.  To establish effect  on  efficiency,  prolonged  biomass co-firing  is  required  which  is going to start in Dadri soon. Conclusive data regarding effect on efficiency will be available once bio-mass co-firing is done on prolonged basis.
- (e) : Test  run  was  conducted  in  Dadri  from  September  2017  onwards with 100 Metric tonnes 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  a purchase order for 200 metric tonnes per day of pellets/ torrefied pellets has already been placed. Delivery of 20 metric tonnes per day material has been started and rest is likely to start soon.
- (f) : NTPC  has  invited  expression  of  interest  (EOI)  dated  26.12.2018 from interested parties for production and supply of paddy straw and other agro residue based pellets/ torrefied pellets to all the power plants of NTPC. Based on the response received in EOI, tender shall be floated.

(g) : 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.

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