Biomass: The new fuel for Agra units

Gasifier plant to cut fuel bills by Rs 8 lakh a year; currently on subsidy.

Worried over the rising prices of liquiefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the unavailability of natural gas, some enterprising industrialists of Agra have come up with an innovative solution to tide over their fuel supply problems.

Two industrial units — one manufacturing biscuits and bhujiya and the other manufacturing laminated plywood — have contacted the Non-Conventional Energy Development Agency (NEDA) for the installation of gasifier plants at their units, while others are also showing keen interest in the gasifier, which is currently being subsidised by NEDA.

According to Atul Jain, project director, NEDA, not many are aware that fuel — diesel, furnace oil or LPG — constitutes a significant part of the manufacturing cost. Besides, burning chemical fuels also result in environmental pollution.

But, he said, NEDA has found a solution to the fuel woes of the local industries in the form of a gasifier plant that has a reliable zero effluent system. The plant works on biomass like wood waste and similar product and turns the biomass into a highly inflammable gas by means of a process known as thermal gasification.

According to Jain, the gasifier was a chemical reactor where several thermo-chemical processes such as pyrolysis, combustion and reduction took place, converting most of the biomass materials into producer gas which burned with high efficiency and control, at temperatures as high as 1,100 degrees Celsius. The gas could then be piped from the gasifier to the ovens or furnaces as required.

According to him, compared to the conventional methods the gasification system could be physically isolated from the combustion system, alleviating the hassles of fuel handling and ash removal inside the production area. These gasifiers are ideally suited for bakery industry, various types of furnaces, fried foods plants, drying and curing application as well as steam boilers, he said.

Jain added the industries opting for the fuel-saving gasifiers are eligible for subsidy ranging from 25-40 per cent. He further said NEDA recommends such cases to the central government and facilitates the release of grants to the concerned entrepreneurs.