New Delhi: India can generate around 18,000 Megawatt (Mw) of renewable energy using biomass and an additional 7000-8000 MW from bagasse cogeneration in sugar mills, power and renewable energy minister R K Singh has said.

 

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has launched a scheme to support biomass-based cogeneration in sugar mills and other industries up to March 2020. “Under this scheme, biomass cogeneration projects are being provided Central Financial Assistance at the rate of Rs 25 lakh per MW of surplus exportable capacity and Rs 50 lakh per MW of installed capacity depending on the type of fuel used,” Singh said in a written reply in Parliament.

 

The minister quoted a study by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, which estimated surplus biomass availability in the country at around 120 to 150 million tonne per annum covering agricultural residues.

 

MNRE invited bids for conducting an independent evaluation of the implementation of the 'New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme' (NNBOMP), to be implemented across 13 states of the country. The ministry has been implementing the programme for deployment of small biogas plants in the remote rural, semi-urban areas of the country facilitating the beneficiaries to convert cattle dung, organic wastes into clean gaseous fuel for cooking and lighting.

 

MNRE has also issued an expression of interest for an independent third-party evaluation study of its another 'Biogas-based Power Generation and Thermal energy applications Programme' (BPGTP) for deployment of medium sized biogas plants in the rural, semi-urban areas of the country, having captive power generation in the range of 3 kilowatt (KW) to 250 KW to meet captive power needs of farmers, small diaries and rural industries.

 

The BPGTP has been implemented in eight states of the country by the ministry. Out of the eight states, Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of 13 projects.