1.7 Preferred Options for India
The preferred options in India for effective utilization of rice husk for energy in rural areas include:
i. Electricity generation from medium capacity rice husk gasifiers (50 kW capacity systems) specially in isolated villages where electricity from grid is not available.
ii. Installation of rice husk based stirling engines/small gasifiers pumpsets (5 HP capacity), for irrigation purposes.
iii. Promotion of rice husk briquetting units as a rural industry especially in industrialized rural areas where these briquettes could be used as fuel in boilers, brick kilns etc.
iv. Installation of rice husk stoves in place of stoves utilizing wood /dung cakes as fuel, since these stoves have higher thermal efficiency and result in smokeless cooking.
A) Electricity Generation form Rice Husk Gasifiers
Forecast
The electricity generation potential from rice husk gasifiers in rural areas is estimated as:
| Year | Electricity Potential (MW) |
| 1992-93 | 5 |
| 1995-96 | 28 |
| 1999-2000 | 84 |
Impact
The annual savings of diesel oil by preferring rice husk gasifiers over diesel gensets for electricity generation in rural areas is estimated at:
| Year | Savings-Diesel Oil (Rs. Crores) |
| 1992-93 | 3 |
| 1995-96 | 16.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 52 |
* Cost of electricity generation in rice husk gasifiers systems is low by about 4% when compared to diesel gensets.
* Greater assurance of electricity in remote rural areas.
* Employment generation to be extent of 18 persons (directly & indirectly) per 50 MW capacity gasifiers system.
* Cottage industries could also be promoted based on useful gasifier system by products (tar & cinder)< for rural upliftment.
* Better impact on environment by power air pollution when compared to diesel gensets which run on 100% diesel.
B) Stirling Engines for Irrigation
Forecast
Estimated potential for installation of rice husk based stirling engines (5 HP capacity) in rural areas is:
| Year | Stirling Engines (Thousand Nos) |
| 1992-93 | 6.5 |
| 1995-96 | 40 |
| 1999-2000 | 142 |
Impact
Estimated saving of diesel by replacing diesel pump sets by Stirling Engines:
| Year | Diesel Saving (Rs. Crores) |
| 1992-93 | 7 |
| 1995-96 | 42 |
| 1999-2000 | 18 |
* Better impact on environment, lower pollution when compared to diesel pump sets.
* Reliable sources of irrigation in recent areas. Back
