Biomass availability could fulfill power requirement of Haryana

Around 1,019 Mw of power is enough to make Haryana self-reliant and it could be generated from the surplus agricultural and forest biomass available in Haryana. This is borne out by a study conducted by the Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (Hareda).

At present, the state is generating 128.11 Mw of power from renewable energy sources.

The findings of the study, brought out in a report prepared and published by Hareda, reveal the net surplus biomass available after consumption by way of domestic use and subtraction of sugarcane biomass, is 8,416.47 thousand tonnes which holds the potential of producing 1,019 Mw of power. The maximum potential exists in Sirsa district (131 Mw), followed by Karnal (122 Mw); Kaithal (89 Mw); Kurukshetra (84 Mw); and Fatehabad (78 Mw).

The study has drawn estimates of the total generation of biomass and utilisation and surplus available from different crops in various blocks by using satellite data through the Haryana Space Application Centre, Hisar. The data has been presented in the form of coloured maps.

Releasing the findings of the study, the Haryana Chief Minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said yesterday the use of biomass for generation would not only make the state self-reliant in power but also provide additional income to farmers, and result in employment generation in the rural areas.