Paving way for techno economically viable solution to manage Paddy Straw

One of the environmental grand challenges for the State & Nation is indiscriminate paddy straw burning in open fields. It not only pollutes the environment & contributes towards GHGs but also a useful resource of energy is being wasted (4.2 MTOE). The quantity of paddy straw generated is huge (18-20 million tonnes/ year) and its utilization is only 35-40%. The Centre and State Governments are taking lot of initiatives to promote in-situ as well as ex-situ utilization of biomass. Inspite of these efforts, only 25- 30% paddy straw is being reincorporated into soil using various techniques, whereas the ex-situ applications like biomass based thermal power plants, card board industries, biomethanation and conversion into briquettes for industrial use utilize 10-15% of the total production.

PSCST carried out R&D studies to explore conversion of paddy straw into briquettes. The low bulk density and high silica contents of paddy straw leads to extensive wear and tear of machinery, hence, unlike other agro residues, the briquetting of paddy straw could not be established earlier. PSCST, through consistent efforts, could not only stabilize this process but also established combustion behaviour of the briquettes for use as replacement of fossil fuel with financial support of PPCB. As the Council presented its R&D findings to Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, Govt. of India; the Ministry, under Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) approved setting up of industrial scale units at two geographical locations in the State to demonstrate economic viability of the technology.

The first demonstration plant of 24 TPD production capacity has been commissioned at M/s Gill Brothers, Village Jalalabad (East), District Moga. This unit is producing 5000 tonnes of briquettes per annum using 4000 tonnes of paddy straw from 6-7 villages in the vicinity. The briquettes are being used as replacement of conventional fuel i.e. coal in three brick kilns.

The second demonstration plant of 4-times higher capacity i.e. 100 TPD has been set up at M/s.Punjab Renewable Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd. (PRESPL), Village Kulburchan, Distt. Patiala. It would utilize around 40000 tonnes paddy per season from 30-35 villages in its vicinity. The briquettes produced by the unit are already being utilized by M/s. Pepsi Foods, Village Channon, Patiala in their industrial boiler for steam generation. This novel initiative would mitigate emission of >70000 ton CO2 per annum.

Recently the Council has also partnered with Advanced Research Centre for Power Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) & The Energy Research Institute to further improve the material life of ram, piston, hammer-mill, shredder and baler blades by application of specialized coatings, and ensuring availability of market ready paddy straw briquetting machinery for promoting replication.