India's power ministry has reiterated that thermal power plants must meet a minimum of 5pc biomass co-firing, with non-compliance to result in penal actions.
Indian utilities were required to have been co-firing at least 5pc biomass pellets by October this year, according to a power ministry policy aimed at reducing coal consumption and curbing pollution.
But only 39 thermal power plants with a combined capacity of 55.39GW have started co-firing, and have used 83,066t of biomass so far, the ministry said on 3 October, adding that several biomass purchase tenders have been floated by power plants. Tenders to source 106mn t of biomass are at various stages, while orders have been placed for 4.34mn t by a total of 35 power plants.
Utilities should make efforts to complete the procurement process for existing tenders as soon as possible, the power ministry said. Plants must arrange to source short-term supplies until tenders are finalised, as the ongoing harvesting season will expand biomass availability, it said.
Measures should be taken to set up manufacturing facilities for the torrefaction of biomass pellets in different locations to overcome the challenges of biomass pellet supply, the ministry said.
Power plants in the national capital region (NCR), which includes Delhi and its surrounding districts, have been directed to install biomass pellet manufacturing plants within their premises. Plants in the region have co-fired 22,700t of biomass to date. The Indian government last year asked thermal power plants located within 300km of capital Delhi to co-fire biomass with coal to reduce pollution.
The commission for air quality improvement for the NCR and adjoining areas has mandated 11 such power plants to co-fire 5-10pc biomass with coal to cut pollution and stubble burning at farms. State-controlled utility NTPC's Dadri coal-fired power plant located 56km from Delhi in Uttar Pradesh province was the first such facility in India to test co-firing with biomass in 2017. The pilot operation at Dadri included mixing up to 10pc biomass with coal.
Under the power ministry's policy, co-firing should be raised to 7pc from October 2023 for two categories of power plants — those with a bowl mill or with a ball and race mill. The policy for co-firing will be valid for 25 years or until the useful life of a power plant ends, whichever is earlier. The biomass pellets must be primarily made up of agricultural residue, and the policy encourages domestic sourcing.
India is aiming to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels to reach net zero emissions by 2070, and this goal has given rise to its mandate for utilities to co-fire biomass with coal. This will raise demand for biomass in the coming years, although ample domestic supplies means that consumers are unlikely to turn to the seaborne market, at least in the foreseeable future.
