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