NTPC Dadri makes power with farm residue-based fuel
NEW DELHI: In a bid to curb burning of paddy residues, the country's largest Power producer, NTPC Dadri has taken very innovative steps by partially replacing coal from pellets made of paddy straw and other agricultural residues in one unit of its Dadri Power plants. Addressing media in Dadri, Chief General Manager AK Das confirmed that The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has started production from agro residue based fuel in Dadri, however, regular supply of all the contracted quantity of this fuel is likely to take some time.
"The NTPC, Dadri has taken major steps to curb thick smog in Delhi and NCR area due to burning of rice rabble left after harvesting by farmers in Western Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana in the months of October-November," said Das.
The NTPC, Dadri has the distinction of being the unique projects, consisting of 1820 MW of coal based units, 829 MW gas based combined cycle modules and 5 Mw by solar unit. "A first of its kind initiative expected to provide relief Delhi and its neighbourhood breathe easy by stopping farmers burning crop residues", said Das.
The use of pellets made of agricultural residues with coal in the power plants is also called biomass co-firing in technical language. The NTPC has recetly invited the expression of interest for the supply of pellets made of agricultural residues in its power plants located across the country, said CGM.
It is pertinent to mentioned that on an average, one acre of cropping yiels about two tonne of stubble or straw. The NTPC will buy stubble at Rs 5,500 per tonne, which will yield an additional income of approximately Rs 11,00 per acre.
CGM Das elaborated further that NTPC has invited the expression of interest for supply of pellet in 21
power plants located across the country, which has a total
consumption of 19,440 tonnes per day, thereby creating a market of around 5,000 crore. Thus, about 145 million tonnes of agricultural residue bing burnt in the fields every year
across country. If fully utilized by biomass co-firing in power plants, it can produce about 30,000 MW electricity round the year which is equivalent to electricity generated from solar panels of 1,50,000 MW capacity in a year.
