The Hindu Business Line : Plan to increase renewable energy generation

Energy generation
Bulk of the additional energy from renewable sources is expected to come from co-generation from sugar mills
The Ministry is hoping to end the 10th plan period with a cumulative generation capacity from non-conventional energy sources at around 10,000 MW

Tiruchengode , Aug. 29

The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES) is working towards stepping up the country's energy generation from renewable energy sources from the current 8,000 MW to around 17,000/18,000 MW during the 11th Plan period.

Bulk of this additional capacity building would come from co-generation from sugar mills as the Ministry expects this capacity to rise from the present 900 MW to about 5,000 MW.

Encouraged by the prospects of the projects under wastes to energy (WTE) programme implementation across the country, the Ministry is hoping to end the 10th Plan period with a cumulative generation capacity from non-conventional energy sources at around 10,000 MW, according to Mr V. Subramanian, Secretary, MNES.

Poultry litter plant

Commissioning the country's first commercial model of grid-interfacing power plant based on poultry litter at Goundampalayam village, near here recently, Mr Subramanian said MNES' twin strategy is to generate more power from renewable sources and to conserve more of non-renewable energy sources. The plant was developed by Subhashri Bio Energies Pvt Ltd, a local firm, at a cost of Rs 40 crore. Of the 8,300 MW capacity realised under the non-conventional energy route, Tamil Nadu has come on top among the States having built 3,000 MW renewable energy capacity.

The renewable energy sector in the country has also achieved significant milestone in terms of recording 19 billion units of power generation during last year, he added.

Mr A. Elangovan, Chairman and Managing Director of Tamilnadu Energy Development Agency, said by achieving power generation out of poultry wastes Subhashri Bio Energies had struck a new chapter in rural waste management and energy conservation.

Mr Sivaprakasam, Technical Director of Subhashri Bio Energies, said the plant was originally set with a 2 MW capacity as a demonstration plant under the MNES programme and subsequently its capacity was raised to 3.5MW.

The power generation from the poultry litter through the biomethanisation process is free from any chemical. According to the company officials, while the sale of power to the grid would fetch an income of Rs 11 crore, the organic manure recovered out of the spent litter would bring about an income of Rs 25 crore besides the likely earnings from the CER trading.

More Stories on : Non-conventional Energy | Policy | Tamil Nadu

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