SHOWCASING STATE-OF-ART

GASIFICATION SYSTEMS
FOR
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

A Reliable, Efficient &

Affordable Solution
By

Dr. B. C. Jain
Managing Director

Ankur Scientific Energy Technologies Pvt. Ltd.,

Ankur, Near Old Sama Jakat Naka, Baroda 390 008, India
(:0265 2793098/2794021 v Fax: 2794042

August 27, 2003

ROLE OF RENEWABLE
v

Specifically being considered for most

difficult locations (forest villages, hilly
terrains, very remote locations, islands,
scattered households etc.)
Loads and PLFs are likely to be very
low
Renewables will generally require lower
investments for such sites
Reliance will be on local resources. Also
the entire strategy will be environment
friendly
If properly planned and implemented, it
could lead to empowerment of local
population and possible economic
development

SPECIFIC RENEWABLES
v

Major reliance is being placed on three

options
Micro hydel
Solar PV
Biomass Gasification

Wherever water resource is available,

micro hydel is idea choice
Wherever the village consists of a
small number of scattered households,
solar home lighting system are the
natural choice
Wherever no biomass is available
(desert areas etc); once again, solar PV
system are the only choice
However, a vast majority of location will
have both biomass and solar radiation
and hence require intelligent selection

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION
THROUGH RENEWABLES
The Current Scenario
v

Non-Conventional Wisdom assumes

that photovoltaic home lighting systems
and PV power packs (510 kWe) are the
only viable solutions for electrification
of small villages/communities
While home lighting systems are a
logical choice for scattered households
or for households on difficult terrains
(i.e. scattered individual homes on hills
or in forests), PV power packs still
require distribution lines
Investments are very large and yet, the
power delivery is not of grid quality or
on demand
Storage batteries are a necessary evil
(requiring replacement after a few
years)

THE CHALLENGE
So the challenge was to come up
with an alternative solution that
would,

Provide Grid Quality power

even at a few kW level
v Provide power on-demand
v Require No Storage
v Be Efficient & Reliable
v Be Affordable
v Depend
totally on local
resources
v Could
be operated and
managed by local people
v

THE OPTION OF
BIOMASS GASIFICATION
While biomass gasification based power
generation always had the promise, it
suffered from the following drawbacks:
v

v
v

Systems were in dual-fuel mode,

requiring some amount of diesel
Small rating systems were not very userfriendly
Biomass preparation (sizing) was seen to
be hasslesome for small power needs
Systems were not packaged well
Operation & Maintenance by local
people was not assured/built into the
system

All of this has indeed

changed in the recent past!

Case Study- I Dual Fuel, Large Systems

`ANKUR BIOMASS BASED POWER PLANT

FOR ISLAND ELECTRIFICATION

BASED ON THE UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS OF THE FIRST,

A SECOND PROJECT INSTALLED IN NEARBY ISLAND

Case Study- II Dual Fuel, Large Systems

`ANKUR BIOMASS BASED POWER PLANT

FOR ISLAND ELECTRIFICATION

BASED ON THE UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS OF THE FIRST TWO

PROJECTS, NOT ONLY ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ARE
PLANNED BUT THERE IS ALSO A POLICY DECISION TO
ELECTRIFY THE ENTIRE SUNDARBANS AREA USING SOLAR
PHOTO VOLTAICS AND BIOMASS GASIFIERS. OBVIOUSLY,
INSTALLELD CAPACITY IS ALREADY MUCH HIGHER
THROUGH GASIFIERS AND A MUCH LARGER NUMBER OF
CUSTOMERS ARE BEING SERVED AT A MUCH LOWER COST.

100% PRODUCER GAS SYSTEMS

HIGHER RATINGS
(30 kWe and more)
Developed through a collaborative
R&D project jointly funded by
MNES (Govt. of India) and Ankur
Scientific, the systems have a number
of outstanding features:
v

Excellent variable load capability

(with 3:1 turndown)
Ideally suited power range for rural
electrification as well as captive
power for small industries
Specific wood/biomass consumption
of only 1.2 to 1.6 kg/kWhr
HENCE, COST OF GENERATION

OF Rs. 1 to 2 ONLY

Case Study - 100% Producer Gas Systems

`ANKUR BIOMASS BASED POWER PLANT

FOR ISLAND ELECTRIFICATION

This is a pilot installation and is likely to lead to a

large number of similar Biomass based Power
Plants throughout Sri Lanka

100% PRODUCER GAS SYSTEMS

SMALL RATINGS
(4 kWe to 10 kWe)
Totally funded internally out of strong
conviction, the system have following
additional features:
v

Built-in start-up (No external

power source/fuel needed)
Specially designed motorised
cutter
Reasonable variable load
capability.
Optional battery start (in place of
manual cranking of engine)

We strongly believe remote/rural areas,

island communities etc. deserve the best
of technology without compromises!!!

v
v

Demonstration
Initiating the uninitiated

Hands-On
Training
Convincing the
skeptic

A New Vision with total

Conviction & Commitment

An Overview of the Small

Rating Demo Area
A total of seven system covering thermal
application, irrigation pumping & power
generation in both Dual Fuel & !00%
Producer Gas Modes

A Close-up of Irrigation
Pumping System Aesthetic
& Ergonomically Designed
Package

Thermal Applications An
Industrial burner & two domestic
burners being operated on the
gasifier system

Generating Power at Village

Level Dual Fuel Mode
(Output Rating : 5 kW)

Generating Power at village

Level Dual Fuel Mode
(Output Rating : 15 kW)

100% Producer Gas Systems

Ultimate Solution for Self Reliance based on Local
Resources
Output 4 kW
(Next Rating ~ 8 to 10 kW)

Rural Electrification for Larger

Villages, Island Communities the
100% Producer Gas Way GAS
Power Pack - 40
(Output Rating : 40 kWe)

PV POWER PACKS &

PRODUCER GAS POWER PACKS
A COMPARISON
Take a 8 - 10 kW Power pack
PV Pack

Gas Pack

Initial Investment

More than
Rs. 30 lacs

An order of
magnitude lower @ Rs 3 lacs

Availability of
power

4 6 hours daily

24 hours on
demand

Maximum number 50 60 kWhrs

of units that can be
generated daily
v

200 240 kWhrs

In effect, for each kWhr generated, the initial

investment could be FORTY times lower!
In addition, the total mismatch between the
demand and the source requires expensive,
battery storage while Producer Gas Power Plant
can be run on demand and needs no storage!!

Is There a Comparison?

FREE PV POWER
VS. COST OF BIOMASS
A FALLACY
v

For a 10 kW power pack with equivalent

energy
delivery,
daily
biomass
requirement may not exceed 80 kg!
Whatever price is paid for such biomass
really remains within the community as
the resource is local! There is therefore
no cost to the community for the
resource. As a matter of fact, there is a
high probability that this money really
goes to the have-nots who could gather
twigs/branches/firewood for the plant!!
Analysis suggests that the cost of battery
replacement is generally higher than the
cost of biomass used over battery life for
equivalent energy output. And this
money flows out of the community!!!

MOVING AHEAD
vCategorizing and prioritizing target
groups
vFormulating a pilot project covering
at least five villages in a cluster
vState nodal agency keen on such
biomass based pilot project, with
ability to facilitate matters
vPreparation of a complete project
document in a month, identifying
alternative operational strategies,
likely constraints, viability issues
vFunding for such quick pilot project
documents
vSubsequent decision making
SNAs? REST? Ministry of Power?

RURAL ENERGY SERVICE

PROVIDERS (RESPs?) PERSPECTIVE
vBusinessmen / Entrepreneurs and not
philanthropists
vLimited resources, limited risk-taking
ability
vLimited ability to flight red tape would
rather focus on business basics
vAbility to repay loans and make
reasonable profits (No NPA approach!)
vSunk investments (like distribution, civil
works) might be seen as liabilities with
almost no resale value
IN A NUTSHELL,

v Can work hard

v Can manage, operate and
power/energy supply
v Need a viable, profit-making,
implement project

maintain
easy

to

INDICATIVE PROJECT
PROFILES & VIABILITY ISSUES

Policy Implications
Village size

: 30-40 households

Load Profile

: Mainly lighting & fans and a few streetlights

System Proposed

: GAS-4; net power of 3.5 kW in 100% gas

mode
(Rs. In Lakhs)

Financials

: Basic

1.70

Add: transport, taxes, duties :

0.30

Site specific civil works

0.40

Misc. & Contingencies

0.30

Sub Total

2.70

(DISTRIBUTION COSTS NOT CONSIDERED)

Loan Installment

(15 years; no interest)

Rs.1500/month

O&M Expenses

Miscellaneous

So, monthly cash

outflow

Rs.1200/month
Rs. 300/month
Rs.3000

Hence, even if the charges are of the order of

Rs.100/HH/month, there is hardly any income for RESP!

What is the way out? Capital Subsidy???

INDICATIVE PROJECT
PROFILES & VIABILITY ISSUES

Policy Implications
Village size

: Upto 200 households

Load Profile

: Mainly lighting & fans, a few streetlights

and provisions for commercial loads

System Proposed

: GAS-40; net power of 30-35 kW in 100% gas

mode
(Rs. In Lakhs)

Financials

: Basic

15.32

Add: transport, taxes, duties :

0.50

Site specific civil works

1.50

Misc. & Contingencies

2.00

Sub Total

19.32

(DISTRIBUTION COSTS NOT CONSIDERED)

Loan Installment

: (15 years; no interest)

Rs.10,750/month

O&M Expenses

Rs.9,650/month

Miscellaneous

Rs. 2,000/month

So, monthly cash flow

Rs. 25,000

Hence, if the domestic charges are of the order of

Rs.100/HH/month and income through commercial sales is
atleast Rs. 10,00, RESP can have an income of Rs 5,000/month

May be, a small Capital Subsidy???

ISSUES FOR REST MISSION

v To underwrite marketing and entrepreneur
identification and development (training)
costs
v To set up a system for approving RESPs
involving
local
banks
and
technology/solution
providers;
to
recognise them as such (i.e. Approved
RESPs)
v To arrange long-term, interest free loans to
identified/approved/qualified RESPs.
v To
transfer
existing
distribution
infrastructure to RESPs at no cost
v Issues of land allotment (where needed),
right-of-way for distribution and freedom in
fixation of tariffs/charges.
v Underwriting
(additional)
costs
of
distribution and civil works (sunk costs)
v To provide outright grant to bridge the gap
in terms of viability.