Lok Sabha Question No. 2743 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Co-firing Biomass Pellets in Thermal Power Plants
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: Satyadev Pachauri, Jagannath Sarkar, Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Sunita Duggal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2743

## ANSWERED ON 16.03.2023

## CO-FIRING BIOMASS PELLETS IN THERMAL POWER PLANTS

2743.  SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI:

DR. T. SUMATHY (a) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR: SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has carried out experiments ascertaining the benefits of co-firing  biomass  pellets  in  thermal  power  plants  to  reduce  reliance  on  coal  and mitigate air pollution due to stubble burning;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  there  is  a  detailed  strategy,  project/programme  for  production  of biomass pellets to be used for co-firing in thermal power plants; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

- (a) & (b) : Experiments were carried out by NTPC-NETRA  in NTPC Dadri coal based thermal power plant to ascertain the impact of co-firing biomass on the Thermal Power Plants  (TPPs).  Through  the  studies,  it  has  been  well  established  that  5%  to  10%  of biomass  can  be  safely  co-fired  with  coal  in  TPPs  without  any  adverse  impact  on  the power  plant.    This  has  helped  in  reducing  reliance  of  TPPs  on  coal  and  mitigates  air pollution cause due to stubble burning, to some extent.

So far around 97000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of agro-residue based biomass has been co-fired in coal based thermal power plants, leading to reduction of more than 1.2 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) carbon dioxide emissions.

- (c) & (d) : To address the burning issue of air pollution particularly in National Capital Region (NCR) due to farm stubble burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power  generation,  the  Ministry  of  Power launched  the  National  Mission  on  use  of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants (SAMARTH) on 12 th  July 2021 and the revised biomass policy was issued on 8 th  October, 2021, mandating all TPPs in the country to use 5% of biomass  pellets  in  the  co-firing  with  coal.  Government  has  also  taken  the  following steps:
- (i)   A  customized  window has  been made  available on the GeM  portal  for  Biomass pellet procurement.

..........2.

(ii)  Biomass  has  been  notified  under  Priority  Sector  lending  by  the  RBI.  This  would enable  easier  &  faster  availability  of  bank  loans  to  the  pellet  manufacturers.  The State Bank of India has launched a dedicated scheme to provide long term loan to pellet manufacturers.

(iii)    Following  Financial  Subsidy  Schemes  have  been  issued  by  Central  Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) to encourage the new entrepreneurs:

- i. MNRE  Scheme  'Biomass  Programme'  provides  assistance  to  set  up  the biomass  pellet plant.
- ii.  CPCB guidelines 'One-time financial assistance scheme for setting up pellets plant in NCR '

For providing financial assistance for setting up biomass pellet manufacturing plants, schemes envisaged are (a) MNRE Bio Energy Schemes in which Pellet Manufacturing plants will be provided with Rs. 9 Lakh per MTPH (Metric Ton Per Hour)  of  Rs.  45  Lakhs  per  plant  as  Central  Financial  Assistance  (b)  CPCB  financial support under Environment Protection Charge (EPC) funds for Non-torrefied plant set up by a one time support of Rs. 14 Lac per ton of production capacity per hour subject to a ceiling of Rs. 70 Lacs and for Torrefied plant set up a one-time capital support of Rs. 28 Lac per ton of production capacity per hour subject to a ceiling of Rs. 1.40 Crores. A corpus of Rs. 50 crores has been earmarked for utilisation through the guidelines.

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