Bihar is all set to start its first biomass based multi-fuel power plant. This is yet another leap in the use of non-conventional sources of energy used in power generation.The plant is expected to be operative by the end of this year at Giddha industrial growth centre near Ara
It will use rice husk for electricity generation. When rice husk is not available, the plant will be run by coal, according to general secretary of Bihar Industries Association (BIA) Sanjay Goenka. He said that the paper mill installing the captive power plant would manufacture paper for cardboard and craft paper.
The power plant is being set up with 60% subsidy from the state government, payable on purchase of plant and machinery for captive power plants of 1mw to 3mw capacity and using biomass as the raw material as per the state’s Industrial Incentive Policy, 2011, he said. This policy also provides for 50% subsidy on purchase of plant and machinery for setting up captive power plants using coal.
Successful commissioning of this captive power plant could pave the way for the setting up of several such plants across the state, said Goenka.
The Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency has already announced that the state has the potential to generate 200mw power through biomass-based multi-fuel captive power plants, he said. One such power plant would feed electricity to at least 7-8 small scale industries and other micro industries, he added.
With such a huge potential, around 1,500 small scale industries and many micro industries could benefit from such plants in future, Goenka claimed. The BIA would soon demand that the state government provide subsidy to micro industries for purchase of plant and machinery for installing low capacity (5-10 kilowatt) biomass-based multi-fuel captive power plants, he said.
He added that the industrial units in north Bihar districts, which are not running due to power crunch, can start operation by installing biomass-based multi-fuel captive power plants as rice husk is available in plenty.