1. Decentralized Power Generation System from Crop Residue
Presented at
Conference on Innovation in Agricultural Mechanization by
Anil Kumar Dubey
Principal Scientist
7th- 8th July 2016
CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
NABI BAGH, BERASIA ROAD, BHOPAL

2. Issues to be discussed and needs answer
Is there any crop residues available?
What are the residues suitable for power generation?
How much residues are available for power generation?
How to use these crop residues for power generation?
What are the technology options available for power generation?
How to establish fuel supply chain to power plant?
Cost Economics

3. Highlights of power production status in India:
Installed capacity (April2016): MW
Power generation
Thermal : 69.8%
Hydro: %
Renewable : %
Peak power shortage: 19 %
Average Power shortage: 12%.
Transmission & distribution Loss: %
Electricity - production (billion kWh):

4. Crop Residue Available in India
Production : 500 MT
Surplus Crop Residue : 133 MT
Potential for power generation : 16,000 MW
Crop Residue Suitable for Power Generation
Crop residues
Agro-Industrial residues
Cotton stalk
Pigeon pea stalk
Soybean stalk
Mustard stalk
Castor stick
Maize stalk
Millet straw
Groundnut shell

5. Surplus Crop Residues in India
kt/year
Cotton
28.0
Soybean
3.0
Pigeon pea
1.0
Others
101.0
Total
133.0

6. Burning of Crop Residues
Estimates of Burning: Million tonnes

7. Case Study Surplus crop residues in MP

8. Availability of Crop Residues in Selected Districts of MP
Burning of soybean stalk in Selected Districts

9. Potential of (100 kW) Power plant (Nos.)
Crop residue
Potential of (100 kW) Power plant (Nos.)
Pigeon pea 68

10. Concept of Power Generation
Collection
and
Transportation
Briquetting
Gasifier
Plant
Electricity
Generation
Domestic
Activity
Concept of Power Generation
Crop
Residues
Agro
Enterprises
Production
Activities

11. Technology Options   Gasification Thermo chemical Conversion
Bio- Chemical Conversion
Combustion
Anaerobic digestion
Heat utilized for steam generation
- for turbine operation
- Commercial above 1 MW 
High calorie gas suitable for power generation
Byproduct contains- NPK
Gasification 
Generation of P-Gas from reside
Power though gas engines
Power through dual fuel engine
Suitable for small scales ( kW)
Dual Fuel Mode
Gas Engine

12. Considerations for Power Generation
Biomass management (Fuel Supply Chain)
Feedstock preparation (Briquetting)
Generation of Fuel ( Gaseous)
Electricity Generation
Cost Benefit

13. Bales of soybean stalk Weight of one bale: 30 - 33 kg
Biomass management
Bales of soybean stalk
Weight of one bale: kg
Time for one bale production : min
Bales per hectare: Nos

14. Collection of soybean stalk
Average Yield: kg/ha
Manual collection: kg/ha

15. Biomass management

16. Transportation cost at different lead distance

17. Collection Cost (Rs./tonne) Transportation cost (Rs./tonne)
Biomass management
Cost of Soybean Straw
Intervention
Collection Cost (Rs./tonne)
Transportation cost (Rs./tonne)
Total
Cost (Rs./tonne)
Threshed straw + manual collection
500
225*
725
417**
917
842***
1342
Combine harvested straw + manual collection
431
340*
771
476**
907
941***
1372
Combine harvested straw + Baling Operation
514
180*
694
317**
831
727***
1241
*8 km lead distance; ** 40 km Lead distance; ***100km Lead distance

18. Biomass Management Issues
Seasonal variability
Low density and scattered
Low level of mechanization
Change in crop production pattern
Conventional uses
Logistics for collection and storage

19. Biomass Supply Chain
Power plant (100kW) would require 4-5 collection centers
One collection centre between two villages
Collection centre capacity: tonnes
Minimum storage space : sq-m
with raised plate form
Machines required: shredding machine and
tractor trailer

20. Preparation of residues for Power Generation at Village Mana
Feed stalk Preparation
Preparation of residues for Power Generation at Village Mana
Raw Material used : Pigeon pea stalk, Lantana camera and Soybean straw.

21. Percentage Share of Cost of 60 mm Diameter Briquettes

22. Case Study: Use of briquettes in Brick Kiln
Capacity of kiln: One Lakh bricks
Fuel Used : 10 tonne hard coal
Cost of Fuel : Rs 80000/- 8 /kg)
Briquettes requirement to replace Coal: tonnes
Cost of briquettes: Rs 49000/tonne (price @ Rs 3.5 /kg)
Savings: Rs 31000/-
Reduction in CO2 emission

23. Impact of Briquetting Technology
Capacity : kg/h
Production of Briquettes : 20 tonne/day
Biomass required : tonne/annum
Employment (man-days)
For collection :
For Handling & Loading : 2000
For production :
Direct Mandays :
Reduction in burning area : hac.
Wood Saving : tonne
Coal Saving : tonne
Reduction in CO2 emission

24. Benifits of Technology
Benefits to the farmers
Employment opportunity
Additional Rs per tonne realized by selling agro residues.
Benefits to industries/ entrepreneurs
Organized biomass fuel market available
Uniform size and quality fuel is available
Benefits to financial institutions
Good scope for micro-financing to the rural entrepreneurs for establishing briquetting and/ or setting up of biomass based power under decentralized mode
Environmental Benefits
Carbon neutral fuel
Reduction in emissions

25. Establishment of Power Plant at Mana
Entrepreneurs development
Establishment of Power Plant at Mana
Briquetting Plant : 500kg/h
Power Plant: kVA - Three Number
One plant used for production of briquettes
Second plant for running the water pump of 50 hp(1 No)
Third plant used for running 3 Nos of water pump (30hp)
Supply of electricity to Municipal Corporation Raisen and adjoining farmers

26. View of Power Plant Installed at Mana

27. Power generation
The gas produced is supplied to diesel engines to replace 80% diesel consumed by diesel generating set.
These diesel engine runs with 20 % pilot injection of diesel for ignition of producer gas. The fuel used to produce one unit of electricity is ml of diesel and 1.0 kg of wood chips to produce one unit of electricity. Fuel Cost Rs 6.7
The cooled & cleaned gases are supplied to modified CNG engines to produce the electricity. The biomass consumed to produce the one unit of electricity varied from kg of briquettes. Fuel Cost Rs 3.2

28. Economic impact of Technology
Supply of loose Biomass
Crop residues supply to briquetting plant: Rs 1500 per tonne
Farmers Expenditure:
for collection Rs per tonne
for transportation : Rs per tonne
Net Profit : Rs per tonne
Briquetting of Crop Residues
Value addition by briquetting : Rs 3500 per tonne.
Expenditure on preparation of briquettes: Rs per tonne.
Net Profit to entrepreneur : Rs per tonne

29. Costs of electricity generation
Gasifier based power plant: Rs per kWh
Diesel engine generator: Rs per kWh.
Grid supply: Rs 7.0 per kWh(com. Rate)
Employment Opportunity
4000 man days per annum
Reduction in burning: hectare (soybean crop )
Major benefits
Assured availability of electricity from their own local resources which were considered as waste and creating environment pollution.

30. Value addition of soybean stalk
Rs. 1220/tonne
Rs. 1350/tonne
Rs.450/tonne
Collection
+ Briquetting
Collection
+ Briquetting
+ Power generation
Collection

31. Conclusions
The crop residue based electricity generation system developed and demonstrated successfully in Village Mana.
Electricity generation cost is at par with cost of grid power supply
Technology has attracted local entrepreneurs for value addition of crop residues through briquetting.
Value addition to crop residues by briquetting has shown impact on reduction in straw burning in field and economic gain to farmers and associated entrepreneurs.

32. THANK YOU