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Code No: S064 Price: 1500 Category: Biomass
Executive Summary
The utilization of biomass resources assumes importance due to the soaring crude price and depleting reserves of fossil fuels coupled with the rising environmental concern. Ethanol derived from renewable ligno-cellulosic biomass of non-edible variety has been identified globally as the future solution for meeting the energy demand. Apart from fuel and energy, biomass can also be the source of large number of derivatives.
Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is a complex technology; it has been noted that extensive research efforts are underway by industry and academia in making this technology technically and economically viable in near future. Efforts are needed in developing resource databases, evaluation, development of pretreatment technologies, logistics, reactor design, organism development, protein engineering to label a few, and apparently needs a focused centre to lead and coordinate the R&D activities towards achieving success in all the unit operations involved.
In view of the above, TIFAC under its Bioprocess & Bioproducts Programme supported NIIST-Trivandrum to establish a dedicated Centre for Biofuels to carry out advanced research in ligno-cellulosic ethanol production along with the development of other bio-chemicals for improved process economics to address some of the critical technology issues in the sector. NIIST has been in the forefront of biomass derived ethanol research and has been working on cellulase enzyme production, strain improvement of cellulase producers, production of glucose tolerant beta-glucosidases and fermentation process development and hence found to be the ideal contender for setting up the Centre for Biofuels at their premises for exclusive R&D on biofuels especially ethanol from ligno-cellulosic biomass.
For assessing the feasibility and sustainability of producing biofuels and other bio-chemicals from biomass in India, a clear understanding of the current generation of biomass, its consumption and availability patterns of surplus biomass from select agro & forest residues were called for. Further, the storage, transportation and procurement practices of such biomass resources also needed to be understood. It is with this background that TIFAC & NIIST had commissioned the study and availed the services of a consulting agency, IMRB-BIRD, Chennai for the purpose.
The objectives of the study were accomplished through a combination of secondary and primary research. In-depth interviews were conducted as part of qualitative survey across target segments like subject experts, farmers, user industries, government departments, NGOs, farmer cooperatives, local Govt. offices, mandis etc. IMRB researchers had visited the areas where biomass resources are grown and directly interacted with the target segments.
Structured interviews were conducted among farmers growing one or more crops. The quantitative survey was executed across 14 states of India through IMRB’s field offices. Field interviewers trained by core research team conducted the structured interviews.
Over 700 interviews were conducted as part of the study. Following are some of the key findings from the study.
Crop Production
After studying the crop production in India, it was found that sugarcane, rice and wheat are the most grown crops in India accounting for over 91% of the production of crops considered in this study. Even a small % of surplus residue generated from these crops results in a substantial figure.
Crop Residue Generation
The amount of residue generated by each crop in India has been tabulated & illustrated in detail in the study.
Crop Residue Consumption
Rice, Wheat, Maize, Jowar, Ragi and Bajra residue are mainly used as cattle fodder. Cotton, chilli, pulses and oilseeds residues are mainly used as fuel for household needs. Rice husk is mainly used in boilers as fuel and bagasse mainly for power or paper production. The crop residue consumption in India has been covered in detail in the study.
Crop Residue Surplus
An interesting findings emerged from the study as, Sugarcane tops is the most surplus residue as it is mostly burnt in the fields itself. Other fuel crops like Cotton, Chilli, Pulses and Oilseeds generate surplus because they do not have much other use apart from fuel. These residues are typically burnt in the fields or used to meet household energy needs by farmers. As India makes further economic progress, farmers are likely to shift to modern fuels like kerosene. This will further increase availability of such crop residues. An additional 4 MMT of bamboo plant would be available as potential biomass. There is very little surplus from fodder crops as it is consumed by cattle.
Surplus Crop Residue Density
The biomass surplus density i.e. surplus availability (MT) per kilometer square area for various states have been covered in detail in the study. It was found that Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Tamil Nadu are leading states based on per sq. km availability of biomass.
A potential 61.1 MMT of fuel crop residue and 241.7 MMT of fodder crop residue are being consumed by farmers themselves. This can be freed up if alternatives are provided to them. The survey shows that farmers are willing to sell crop residues provided they get decent remuneration and alternatives are provided.
Another strategy could be to grow fast growing grasses and trees specifically for consumption as Biofuels. Example: Paper plants and biomass power plants provide training to local villagers for growing such trees and grasses with buyback arrangement at pre-fixed prices. An estimated 164.5 MMT of surplus crop residue was available in 2007-08. This is 26.4% of overall generation. The tabulated state wise data on surplus biomass resources is given in the report.
Collection of Crop Residues
A sustainable source of biomass is a necessity for any biofuel manufacturing facility. However, the sources of biomass are highly dispersed in rural areas. Even existing biomass power plants face the challenge of collecting vast amounts of crop residue for sustained power production. Given this scenario, it is prudent to have certain ‘anchor suppliers’ of biomass for any biofuel manufacturing facility. These anchor suppliers could be existing concentrated sources of biomass like sugar mills and rice mills. For other types of crop residues, co-operatives or other local bodies could be encouraged to collect and supply fixed amount of crop residues over a sustained period, the way milk is collected by large cooperatives in many states of India.
Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), New Delhi
and National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science & Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum
Report Prepared by : BIRD, the Business & Industrial Research Division of IMRB International
Report Published in August 2009
STUDY BACKGROUND
STUDY METHODOLOGY
CROP PRODUCTIONS
CROP RESIDUE GENERATION
CROP RESIDUE CONSUMPTION
CROP RESIDUE SURPLUS
FOCUS ON NON-FODDER CROPS
CROP RESIDUE SURPLUS DENSITY
SURPLUS CROP RESIDUE AVAILABILITY
COLLECTION OF CROP RESIDUES
1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
2 RESEARCH DESIGN
2.1 SECONDARY RESEARCH
2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH
2.2.1 Qualitative Survey
2.2.2 Quantitative Survey
2.3 SAMPLE SIZE ACHIEVED
2.3.1 Sample Size Break-Up for Qualitative Survey
2.3.2 Sample Size Breakup for Quantitative Survey
2.3.3 Methodology for Selection of Villages for the Survey
2.4 ESTIMATION METHODOLOGY
FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY
3. POINTS TO BE NOTED
4. AVAILABLE BIOMASS RESOURCES..................................
4.1 RICE
4.1.1 Crop Production
4.1.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.1.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.1.4 Residue Generation: Rice Straw
4.1.5 Residue Generation: Rice Husk
4.2 WHEAT.......................................................................
4.2.1 Crop Production
4.2.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.2.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.2.4 Residue Generation: Wheat Straw
4.3 SUGARCANE
4.3.1 Biomass Resources Generation
4.3.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.3.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.3.4 Residue Generation: Sugarcane Tops
4.3.5 Residue Generation: Bagasse
4.4 MAIZE ...........................................................................
4.4.1 Crop Production
4.4.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.4.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.4.4 Residue Generation: Maize Stover
4.4.5 Residue Generation: Maize Cob
4.4.6 Residue Generation: Maize Husk
4.5 COTTON.............................................................................
4.5.1 Crop Production
4.5.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.5.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.5.4 Residue Generation: Cotton Stalk
4.6 CHILLIES ........................................................................
4.6.1 Crop Production
4.6.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.6.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.6.4 Residue Generation: Chilli Stalk
4.7 JOWAR .............................................................................
4.7.1 Crop Production
4.7.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.7.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.7.4 Residue Generation: Jowar Stover
4.8 RAGI .................................................................................
4.8.1 Crop Production
4.8.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.8.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.8.4 Residue Generation: Ragi Stalk
4.9 BAJRA ................................................................................
4.9.1 Crop Production
4.9.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.9.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.9.4 Residue Generation: Bajra Stalk
4.10 PULSES ...........................................................................
4.10.1 Crop Production
4.10.2 Residue Generation Norms
4.10.3 Residue Generation: Pulses
4.11 OILSEEDS ......................................................................
4.11.1 Crop Production
4.11.2 Residue Generation Norms
4.11.3 Residue Generation: Oilseeds
4.12 BAMBOO ........................................
4.12.1 Production
4.12.2 Residue Generation Norms
4.12.3 Residue Generation: Bamboo
4.13 PINE .................................................
4.13.1 Pine Resources: Types
4.13.2 Pine Resources: Spread
4.13.3 Biomass Resources Generation
4.13.4 Residue Generation Norms
4.13.5 Residue Generation: Pine Needle
4.14 WATER HYACINTH ...............................
4.14.1 Water Hyacinth Resources
4.14.2 Biomass Resources Generation
4.14.3 Residue Generation Norms
4.14.4 Residue Generation
4.15 SUMMARY:AVAILABLE BIOMASS RESOURCES
5 CONSUMPTION OF BIOMASS RESOURCES ...............
5.1 CURRENT CONSUMPTION PATTERN
5.1.1 Rice Straw
5.1.2 Wheat Crop Residue
5.1.3 Sugarcane Crop Residue
5.1.4 Maize Crop Residue
5.1.5 Cotton Crop Residue
5.1.6 Chilli Crop Residue
5.1.7 Jowar Crop Residue
5.1.8 Ragi Crop Residue
5.1.9 Bajra Crop Residue
5.1.10 Pulses Crop Residue
5.1.11 Oilseed Crop Residue
5.1.12 Bamboo Residue
5.1.13 Pine Needles
5.1.14 Water Hyacinth
5.2 SUMMARY:CURRENT USES ................................
5.3 RESIDUE CURRENT USES:STATE PROFILE ............
5.4 SELF USAGE PATTERN .......................................
5.4.1 Fodder Demand & Supply
5.4.2 Non Fodder Residues
5.4.3 Other Users
5.5 HARVESTING TECHNIQUES USED ...........................
5.5.1 Increasing Farm Mechanization
5.5.2 New Equipments Being Developed
5.6 STORAGE OF CROP RESIDUES ...............................
5.6.1 Rice
5.6.2 Wheat
5.6.3 Sugarcane
5.6.4 Maize
5.6.5 Cotton
5.6.6 Chillies
5.6.7 Jowar
5.6.8 Ragi
5.6.9 Bajra
5.6.10 Pulses
5.6.11 Oilseeds
5.6.12 Bamboo
5.6.13 Pine
5.6.14 Water Hyacinth .
5.7 SUMMARY:RESIDUE GENERATION SOURCES .............................
5.8 TYPICAL COSTS OF PROCUREMENT ........................................
5.9 GROUPS OR ASSOCIATIONS LINKED TO CROP BY-PRODUCTS ....
5.10 SUMMARY:CURRENT CONSUMPTION OF BIOMASS RESOURCES ..
6. SURPLUS AVAILABILITY ........................................................
6.1 RICE STRAW
6.2 WHEAT STRAW
6.3 SUGARCANE TOPS
6.4 MAIZE RESIDUE
6.5 COTTON RESIDUE
6.6 COARSE GRAINS RESIDUE
6.7 PULSES RESIDUE
6.8 OILSEEDS RESIDUES
6.9 OTHER RESIDUES
6.10 WHICH TYPE OF FARMERS SELL RESIDUE?
6.11 SUMMARY: SURPLUS AVAILABILITY OF BIOMASS RESOURCES
7 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................
7.1 CROP PRODUCTION
7.2 CROP RESIDUE GENERATION
7.3 CROP RESIDUE CONSUMPTION
7.4 CROP RESIDUE SURPLUS
7.5 FOCUS ON NON-FODDER CROPS
7.6 CROP RESIDUE SURPLUS DENSITY
7.7 SURPLUS CROP RESIDUE AVAILABILITY
7.8 COLLECTION OF CROP RESIDUES
8.1 APPENDIX I : CROP PRODUCTION .................................
8.1.1 Rice
8.1.2 Wheat
8.1.3 Sugarcane
8.1.4 Maize
8.1.5 Cotton
8.1.6 Chilli
8.1.7 Jowar
8.1.8 Ragi
8.1.9 Bajra
8.1.10 Pulses
8.1.11 Oilseeds
8.1.12 Bamboo
8.1.13 Pine
8.1.14 Water Hyacinth
8.1.15 Overall Biomass Generation
8.1.16 Overall Biomass Consumption
8.1.17 Overall Surplus Biomass Residues
8.1.18 Fodder
8.2.1 Rice .......................................
8.2.2 Wheat
8.2.3 Sugarcane
8.2.4 Maize
8.2.5 Cotton
8.2.6 Chilli
8.2.7 Jowar
8.2.8 Ragi based Agro-Residue
8.2.9 Bamboo
8.2.10 Pine
8.2.11 Water Hyacinth
8.3 APPENDIX III : FARMERS’ PROFILING ...............
8.3.1 Rural SEC Grid
8.3.2 Profile of Farmers contacted during the survey
8.3.3 Profile of Farmers Contacted During the Survey
8.3.4 Challenges Faced By Farmers
8.4 APPENDIX IV ......................................
Table 1: Sample Size
Table 2: Qualitative Sample Size
Table 3: Quantitative Sample Size
Table 4: Available Biomass Resources by Crop
Table 5: Available Biomass Resources by State
Table 6: Rice Residue Consumption
Table 7: Wheat Residue Consumption
Table 8: Sugarcane Residue Consumption
Table 9: Maize Residue Consumption
Table 10: Cotton Residue Consumption
Table 11: Chilli Residue Consumption
Table 12: Jowar Residue Consumption
Table 13: Ragi Residue Consumption
Table 14: Bajra Residue Consumption
Table 15: Pulses Residue Consumption
Table 16: Oilseeds Residue Consumption
Table 17: Bamboo Residue Consumption
Table 18: Pine Residue Consumption
Table 19: Water Hyacinth Residue Consumption
Table 20: Summary of Current Uses from Primary Survey
Table 21: Current Uses by State (Primary Survey)
Table 22: Fodder Demand and Supply
Table 23: Residue Generation Source
Table 24: Costs of Procurement of Biomass
Table 25: Summary of Residue Consumption by Crop
Table 26: Summary of Crop Residue Consumption by State
Table 27: Surplus Residue Availability by Crop
Table 28: Surplus Residue Availability by State
Table 29: Crop Residue Generation Density
Figure 1: Rice Production in India
Figure 2: Rice Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 3: Rice Straw Generation in India
Figure 4: Rice Husk Generation in India
Figure 5: Wheat Production in India
Figure 6: Wheat Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 7: Wheat Straw Generation in India
Figure 8: Sugarcane Production in India
Figure 9: Sugarcane Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 10: Sugarcane Tops Generation in India
Figure 11: Bagasse Generation in India
Figure 12: Maize Production in India
Figure 13: Maize Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 14: Maize Stover Generation in India
Figure 15: Maize Cob Generation in India
Figure 16: Maize Husk Generation in India
Figure 17: Cotton Production in India
Figure 18: Cotton Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 19: Cotton Residue Generation in India
Figure 20: Chilli Production in India
Figure 21: Chilli Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 22: Chilli Residue Generation in India
Figure 23: Jowar Production in India
Figure 24: Jowar Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 25: Jowar Stover Generation in India
Figure 26: Ragi Production in India
Figure 27: Ragi Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 28: Ragi Stalk Generation in India
Figure 29: Bajra Production in India
Figure 30: Bajra Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 31: Bajra Stalk Generation in India
Figure 32: Pulses Production in India
Figure 33: Pulses Residue Generation in India
Figure 34: Oilseeds Production in India
Figure 35: Oilseeds Residue Generation in India
Figure 36: Bamboo Production in India
Figure 37: Bamboo Residue generation in India
Figure 38: Pine Resources in India
Figure 39: Water Hyacinth Resources in India
Figure 40: Water Hyacinth Residue Generation Flowchart
Figure 41: Water Hyacinth Residue Generation in India
Figure 42: Rice Straw Surplus in India
Figure 43: Wheat Straw Surplus in India
Figure 44: Sugarcane Tops Surplus in India
Figure 45: Maize Residue Surplus in India
Figure 46: Cotton Residue Surplus in India
Figure 47: Coarse Grains Surplus in India
Figure 48: Pulses Residue Surplus in India
Figure 49: Oilseeds Residue Surplus in India
