India can generate 2500 MW power from waste
2009-03-17

Recycling of urban, municipal and industrial waste in large cities,metros,can lead to generation of 2500 MW of power in the country.

In next 2 years, with efficient recycling technologies, thousands of units of power can be generated through municipal and solid waste provided India enters into agreement for transfer of latest technologies from countries like Japan, China, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, points out Ernst and Young (E&Y) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM )joint Paper on `Mitigating Climate Change : The Indian Perspective’.

This recyclying and generation of power is essential to arrest increasing power shortages of future especially when inputs for fossil fuel are depleting and exploration of alternate energy sources for power generation through traditional sources are taking time, E&Y and ASSOCHAM stressing the need for urgent generation of power from waste pointed out.

Releasing its findings, the ASSOCHAM Secretary General, D S Rawat indicated that about 40,000 million tonnes of solid wastes and 5000 million cubic metre of liquid waste is generated every year in the urban areas of the country which can be suitably recycled for power generation.

According to estimates made in the Study, about 1500 megawatt of power could be generated from urban and municipal wastes by setting up waste energy projects and additional 1000 megawatt of industrial wastes in the country by 2012.
The cost factor involved in this exercise could be within the range of less than Rs.300 crore, resources for which could be generated through municipalities and local governments in metros and large townships with subsidy element coming towards such projects from state governments concern.

India’s energy policy also included nuclear energy as one of the promising areas to increase the power generation capacity to 20,000 MW (e) by the year 2020, based on the nuclear projects under construction and upgradation work.

Further elaborating on it, Mr. Rawat said that India has potential to reduce its projected emissions over next 30 years by nearly one-quarter for less than $25 per ton of carbon equivalent, with a substantial portion available at a very low cost.

Some of the sustainable development strategies that could help India in reducing its GHG emissions and mitigating climate change impacts, are: Use of cost-effective energy-efficient technologies in power sector (generation, transmission and distribution.

Several research studies on Indian Power sector reveal the potential for saving of around 20,000 MW through various energy efficiency and demand side management measures, these include renovation & modernization of old power plants, adoption of cleaner coal technologies, HVDC transmission and distribution with HVDS, energy efficient distribution transformers, installation of capacitor banks etc.

In addition, installation of super critical boilers also gaining momentum in the recent days. All the energy efficiency and demand side measures in the power sector could qualify to gain the carbon credits through CDM cycle. Initiatives by several generating and transmission companies recently towards claiming carbon credits are a positive sign for the sector”

The Study has also sought “Shift fossil fuels (such as coal, diesel, and petroleum) to natural gas and renewables: With the abundant available of renewable sources like biomass across the country, India has vast potential to replace the current usage of fossil fuels in various industrial/commercial applications. This would reduce the dependence of fossil fuels in the industrial systems but also reduces the GHG emissions. This is also expected to increase the economic value of the biomass fuels which in turn likely to improve the social and economic conditions of the rural areas.

With the continuous exploration of gas reserves across all the potential locations in the country, India is poised to grow in this field and develop more gas based power plants and find its usage more in various industrial applications. Government of India’s steps towards encouragement of private participation in this sector and growing potential for gas based power plants in India would definitely play a key role in future to reduce the GHG emissions in power and industrial sector”.

The Study says that it is also essential for world leaders from both developed and developing countries realize the importance of climate change and act as catalyst in promoting the policies that target at reduction of GHG emissions. India, though with less per capital GHG emissions compared to the developed world should play an active role in formulating the long term policies to mitigate affects of climate change without hampering the economic growth in the region. It is also equally important to formulate policies that promote usage of cleaner energy technologies and other options to mitigate the climate change effects.