India assesses biomass power generation

NEW DELHI, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- India's biomass power potential has been estimated at 18,000 MWe, junior Minister for New and Renewable Energy Vilas Muttemwar said Friday.

He said the government figures came from an assessment of the power generation capacity in the biomass sector.

"The study has indicated a biomass power potential of about 18,000 MWe from the surplus agro residues available in the country excluding biomass plantation. Further, a potential of 5,000 megawatt of surplus power generation through optimum bagasse based cogeneration has been estimated in the existing sugar mills of the country with a crushing capacity of 2,500 tons cane crushed per day," he said.

He said a cumulative capacity of 1,140 MW, including bagasse cogeneration, was installed for generation of power from biomass till March last year. He said a target of 1,700 MW capacity, consisting of 500MW of biomass power projects and 1,200 MW of bagasse cogeneration projects, has been proposed during the 11th plan period.