NEW DELHI (Commodity Online): To support the country's rising power needs, the Indian industry needs to focus more on generating energy from the agro-industrial wastes, according to Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable energy.
The economy of India is growing at a fast rate and in the 12th Five year Plan, the country targets an average growth of 9.5 to 10%. But the major challenge the country is facing is to maintain stable supply of power, according to D.S. Rawat , secretary General, Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
More than 40% of the population in India do not have access to electricity.
According to Farooq Abdullah, there is a necessity to generate electricity from agro-industrial waste which is essential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and combat environment pollution.
The global warming, rising population and coal shortages are contributing to shift attention to biomass as a clean source of fuel.
“The industry needs to add to huge power generation capacities as the country is aiming at sustaining high growth and emerging as an economic superpower on the global horizon,” the Minister added addressing a conference organised by ASSOCHAM.
According to the Minister, there is potential to recover 1,300 megawatt of power from industrial wastes which is projected to increase to 2,000 megawatt by 2017. Projects of over 135 megawatt have been installed so far in distilleries, pulp and paper mills, food processing and starch industries.
“The focus of modern biomass programme is on co-generation, especially in the sugar industry. A co-generation potential of 17,000 megawatt is identified with 6,000 megawatt from sugar industry and we also need push for nuclear energy as the country’s energy needs are increasing rapidly. Nearly 40 per cent of people do not have access to electricity,” he further added.
The Minister also asked the Indian industries to invest in green buildings which consume less energy. As the future is green and there is tremendous opportunity for generating power from agro-industrial waste.
According to the Minister, the ministry of new and renewable energy will collaborate with ASSOCHAM to develop Chandigarh and Ahmedabad as model cities where these new technologies can be used extensively.
The waste to energy projects will help reduce the gap between demand and supply of power and limit reliance of industrial units on grid-based electricity or fossil fuel-powered generators.
