October 07, 2008

India to promote biomass based power projects

Mr Sh Vilas Muttemwar union minister of state in the ministry of new & renewable sources recently said that centre is encouraging promotion of biomass based off grid small power projects for meeting unmet demand of electricity in electrified and un electrified villages in India under various programs like Village Energy Security Program, Remote Village Electrification Program and Biomass Gasifier program.

Mr Muttemwar said that biomass based systems or devices are encouraged for meeting inter alia electricity needs under Village Energy Security Program. The Remote Village Electrification Program aims to provide basic facilities of lighting and electricity in those remote, un electrified census villages and remote un electrified hamlets of electrified census villages, where grid connectivity is either not feasible or not cost effective, through various renewable energy sources, including biomass.

Under Remote Village Electrification Program, support has been provided for electrification of 47 villages or hamlets using biomass gasifier systems in India including 10 villages or hamlets in Orissa. A total of 78 test projects have been taken up under Village Energy Security Program for implementation in 11 states including 12 test projects in Orissa.

So far, 608 small hydro power projects upto 25 MW station capacity with an aggregate capacity of 2015 MW have been set up in India. The annual estimated generation from these projects is 4028 million units per year. A target of adding 1400 MW from small hydro power has been planned during the 11th Five Year Plan.