India has introduced the co-firing of biomass pellets in coal-fired thermal power plants to tackle rural distress, air pollution, and the push for cleaner energy.

About Biomass Co-firing

• Biomass co-firing involves using agricultural waste (crop residue) as fuel alongside coal in thermal power plants.
• It offers a sustainable pathway to address these interconnected issues, turning agricultural waste into a valuable resource for rural India.

SAMARTH Mission

• The Ministry of Power has launched the SAMARTH Mission (Sustainable Agrarian Mission on Use of Agri Residue in Thermal Power Plant). 
• This initiative aims to blend 5% biomass-based pellets with coal in all coal-based thermal power plants, with a target to increase this to 7% by the end of 2025. 
• The mission seeks to contain environmental damage and boost the rural economy through systematic and regulated biomass burning.

The Untapped Potential of Agricultural Residue

• Scale of Agricultural Residue: India annually produces an immense 500 million tonnes of agricultural residue. 
• Residue Challenge: While a significant portion is used for fodder, fuel wood, or compost, a substantial 140 million tonnes remains as surplus. 
  • This surplus is often burnt directly in fields, particularly in the Indo-Gangetic plains, contributing to severe air pollution episodes (up to 40% of winter air pollution in Punjab and Haryana) and greenhouse gas emissions. 
• Productive Uses of Residue: Converting this residue into pellets, using materials like rice straw, cotton stalk, mustard husk, or sugarcane bagasse, makes it easily portable and usable in thermal power plants, reducing the reliance on coal.

Benefits of Biomass Co-firing

• Environmental Benefits: Biomass co-firing can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15% to 20%, contributing significantly to India’s clean energy commitments and its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. 
  • It also helps control air pollution caused by stubble burning.
• Economic Upliftment for Rural India:
  • Farmer Income: Farmers can earn ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 per acre by selling their agricultural residue, which they would otherwise burn. 
    • This directly benefits 10 to 20 million farmers and can inject ₹6,000 to ₹24,000 crores annually into the rural economy.
  • Employment Generation: Pellet manufacturing units are already creating jobs in northern and central India, with potential for further growth through small-scale entrepreneurs. 
    • The National Bio Energy Mission aims to create over 500,000 jobs in rural and semi-rural areas.
  • Tackling Migration: Local job creation helps address rural-urban migration.
  • Agricultural Diversification: Incentivising biomass production can encourage farmers to diversify crops, moving away from problematic mono-cropping practices.
• Energy Security: Reducing dependency on coal by replacing it with biomass strengthens India’s energy security.

Successful implementation of biomass co-firing

• Sweden and the United Kingdom have adopted this practice. The Drax Power Station in the UK relies on sustainable biomass for up to 80% of its electricity production.
• Japan and South Korea have started relying on co-firing for up to 20% of their energy needs, often through long-term purchasing agreements.
• Indonesia has approximately 52 coal power plants blending around 10% biomass.

Way Forward

• Clear and Consistent Procurement Norms: Establish transparent, online, and digital procurement processes for biomass pellets. 
  • Standardise pellet quality and price mechanisms, promote contract-based agreements, and mediate issues among stakeholders to build confidence.
• Capacity Building Support: Provide subsidies, easy loan facilities, and technical assistance to meet quality standards. 
  • Strengthen logistic support to streamline the supply chain from farms to power plants.
• Better Monitoring and Reporting: Implement robust systems for data management of co-firing activities and tracking emission reductions. 
  • Share best practices and case studies to encourage wider adoption and maintain public trust.
• Leveraging Carbon Markets: As biomass co-firing reduces carbon emissions, it generates carbon credits, which can be monetised to fund further green projects and help achieve net-zero targets.

Conclusion

Boosting biomass co-firing offers a promising pathway to integrate waste, energy, and rural prosperity. 

• India has already taken the first step through the SAMARTH mission. 
• Strengthening this effort could go a long way in inclusive and balanced development.

DOWNLOAD PDF