Energy Generation by Use of Crop Stubble
in Punjab
Parmod Kumar
Abstract There is growing interest in alternative uses of field-based residues for
energy applications. The use of agriculture waste for generating power is an
innovative idea as biomass is a carbon neutral fuel, which helps in reducing the
greenhouse effect and global warming. The advantages of utilizing crop residue
over and above conventional resources are that the residue is renewable, readily
available, and can be used successfully by burning in boilers with an efficiency of
99 %. Further, they are available at low cost relative to coal and their ash contents
are also much less as compared to coal. Biomass-based power plants of 10–20 MW
capacity setup in a group of villages or every Taluka can meet energy needs of
villagers and employ thousands of people. Following the initiatives started by
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, Punjab Energy
Development Agency (PEDA) has allocated 30 sites/tehsils for setting up plants
with a total generation capacity of 337 MW out of which 2–3 plants are already
commenced and working successfully. Since the Punjab State Electricity Board
(PSEB) is already planning to install additional power generating units based on
paddy straw, steps need to be taken to ensure the availability of paddy straw in the
respective areas.
This paper is mere compilation of information based on the inputs received from Punjab Energy
Development Agency (PEDA) Chandigarh, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology,
Chandigarh, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala, Department of Agriculture, Punjab
Government Chandigarh.
P. Kumar (&)
Agriculture Development and Rural Transformation Centre (ADRTC), Institute for Social
and Economic Change, Nagarabhavi P.O, Bangalore 560072, India
e-mail: pkumar@isec.ac.in
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
S. Nautiyal et al. (eds.), Climate Change Challenge (3C)
and Social-Economic-Ecological Interface-Building, Environmental Science,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-31014-5_30
507
in Punjab
Parmod Kumar
Abstract There is growing interest in alternative uses of field-based residues for
energy applications. The use of agriculture waste for generating power is an
innovative idea as biomass is a carbon neutral fuel, which helps in reducing the
greenhouse effect and global warming. The advantages of utilizing crop residue
over and above conventional resources are that the residue is renewable, readily
available, and can be used successfully by burning in boilers with an efficiency of
99 %. Further, they are available at low cost relative to coal and their ash contents
are also much less as compared to coal. Biomass-based power plants of 10–20 MW
capacity setup in a group of villages or every Taluka can meet energy needs of
villagers and employ thousands of people. Following the initiatives started by
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, Punjab Energy
Development Agency (PEDA) has allocated 30 sites/tehsils for setting up plants
with a total generation capacity of 337 MW out of which 2–3 plants are already
commenced and working successfully. Since the Punjab State Electricity Board
(PSEB) is already planning to install additional power generating units based on
paddy straw, steps need to be taken to ensure the availability of paddy straw in the
respective areas.
This paper is mere compilation of information based on the inputs received from Punjab Energy
Development Agency (PEDA) Chandigarh, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology,
Chandigarh, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Patiala, Department of Agriculture, Punjab
Government Chandigarh.
P. Kumar (&)
Agriculture Development and Rural Transformation Centre (ADRTC), Institute for Social
and Economic Change, Nagarabhavi P.O, Bangalore 560072, India
e-mail: pkumar@isec.ac.in
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016
S. Nautiyal et al. (eds.), Climate Change Challenge (3C)
and Social-Economic-Ecological Interface-Building, Environmental Science,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-31014-5_30
507