Date:17/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/06/17/stories/2004061700261100.htm

Back Focus on biomass conversion in Kerla

Mony K. Mathew

Thiruvananthapuram , June 16

WITH abundant availability of biomass in the State, its increased utilisation for thermal and power applications in a more organised way is one of the priority areas for the planners in Kerala.

The immediate thrust is for popularising conversion of biomass into thermal energy, especially in the industrial sphere. The move is expected to result in substantial savings on fuel costs for the industries.

The State Planning Board is drawing up a strategy for conversion of the industrial boilers for biomass use ahead of the `International Boiler Meet' slated to be held in Kochi some time in November this year.

According to Mr C.P. John, Member, State Planning Board, there are 932 boilers in the State, out of which nearly 400 can be converted for use of biomass. This would help the industries cut energy costs at a time when the prices of petroleum fuels like diesel were on a spiral, he said.

He noted that to begin with, the public sector enterprises in the State would be the focus of the programme. This was because a majority of the PSUs were making losses and savings on energy costs would give them some leg space for survival.

Apart from utilisation in boilers, Mr John said there was immense potential for use of biomass for power generation in the State. The total agro-based biomass production in the State was estimated to at around 8.47 million tonnes, comprising coconut shell, arecanut fronds and cashew nutshells.

The scientists at the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore reckon that as much as 58 per cent of the biomass production in the State, amounting to five million tonnes, was available for power generation. The power generation potential of tapioca stalk is put at 198 MW and that of coconut shells at 128 MW . However, coconut fronds are considered to have the maximum power generation potential at 302.5 MW.

He pointed out that the agricultural sector in the State was facing several structural and external problems. Diversification of agriculture through agro-processing, biomass utilisation and agro-based industrialisation were some of the options available to harness internal synergies of the sector for the overall development of the State, he said.