The Ministry of Power (MoP) has decided to set up a “National Mission on Use of Biomass in Coal-based Thermal Power Plants” (TPPs) to help solve the problem of air pollution due to farm stubble burning and to reduce the carbon footprint of TPPs. …
The main objectives of the mission are to increase the level of co-firing from present 5 per cent in order to have a larger share of carbon neutral power generation from the TPPs; to take up research and development activities in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets; to facilitate removing the constraints in supply chain of biomass pellets and agro-residue and its transport to the TPPs; to consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing. The modalities of operation and structure of the Nation Mission are under finalisation. The duration of the proposed mission would be a minimum of 5 years.