NTPC to procure 5 mt agro-based pellets this year.

In a bid to help the efforts of the Centre and State governments in containing air air pollution within the National Capital Region (NCR) as a result of stubble burning, NTPC Limited had began procuring biomass pellets produced from farm stubble.

The intention was to offer farmers an incentive for not burning the farm residue.

A Power Ministry statement mentioned that NTPC had envisaged consumption of 5 million tonnes of pellets within the present year at its 17 energy vegetation together with NTPC Korba (Chhattisgarh), NTPC Farakka (West Bengal), NTPC Dadri (Uttar Pradesh), NTPC Kudgi (Karnataka), NTPC Sipat (Chhattisgarh), and NTPC Rihand (Uttar Pradesh).

But sector watchers say there’s scope for a lot enchancment to satisfy the specified end result of lowering air air pollution.

“NTPC tenders had called for biomass pellets that are either raw or torrefied (heated and dried, but not combusted). But there is no proper technology around which can torrefy paddy straw,” a participant within the NTPC tender course of mentioned.

“If we talk about raw pellets, NTPC has mandated for only two plants to source at least 50 per cent of their farm produce from Punjab and Haryana. Now since paddy straw is not mandated, mustard husk and groundnut shell from closer to the Rajasthan border is making its way into the bidding criteria. Paddy straw husk is coming from a lot further and more processing is required for it, then it is not as competitive. This approach is not really solving the farm stubble burning problem from around the NCR,” he added.

Commercial scale

According to a different official within the know, NTPC had began industrial scale firing final year at Dadri, it has consumed about 8,000 tonnes of agro residue-based pellets, which in any other case would have contributed to farm fires. It is equal to roughly 4,000 acres of farm fires.