Cost of Electricity Generation by Biomass-based Power Stations
There is a general perception that the cost of electricity generated
by renewable energy
technologies is always higher than electricity generated by fossil
fuel sources. While this is
true in many places, it is no longer valid for the rural areas of
rural India. In most of the Indian
villages diesel generators are often the only source of power but
power from biomass gasifier
based plants are considerably cheaper where ever biomass is available.
Even for dual fuel
operation where 20 % diesel is used, the generation costs are lower,
especially with high
running hours and loads. The savings are dramatic when pure gas
engines are used.
Even when grid power is available, the actual cost of power at the
point of consumption is
very high largely due to line losses in transmission and distribution.
High subsidies and
financial losses keep the power price low for agricultural pumps
but now that industrial and
commercial consumers pay the actual cost of power, the biomass gasification
based
electricity can easily compete when pure gas engines are used.
|
ECONOMICS OF A BIOMASS GASIFICATION
POWER PLANT
(55 kWe in Pure Gas mode )
|
|
|
| Gasifier rating (Biomass throughout) |
kg/h
|
65
|
| Engine rating in pure diesel mode |
kVA
|
110
|
| Engine rating in gas fuel mode |
kw
|
55
|
| Capital cost of the Plant (after subsidy) |
Rs. Lakhs
|
13.5
|
| Equity |
%
|
70
|
| Dividend on equity |
%
|
10
|
| Loan |
%
|
30
|
| Interest Rate |
%
|
13
|
| Repayment period |
years
|
10
|
| Average Load |
kWe
|
40
|
| Diesel Price |
Rs./Lt.
|
22,00
|
| Total CO2 savings |
Tons/yr.
|
125- 250
|
|
|
|
|
...............................................................................................................................................
|
|
ECONOMICS OF A BIOMASS GASIFICATION
POWER PLANT
(50 kWe in Dual Fuel mode )
|
|
|
| |
| Gasifier rating (Biomass throughout) |
kg/h
|
65
|
| Engine rating in pure diesel mode |
kVA
|
82,5
|
| Engine rating in dual fuel mode |
kw
|
50
|
| Capital cost of the Plant (after subsidy) |
Rs. Lakhs
|
16,3
|
| Client's Equity |
%
|
70
|
| Dividend on equity |
%
|
10
|
| Loan |
%
|
30
|
| Interest Rate |
%
|
13
|
| Repayment period |
years
|
10
|
| Average Load |
kWe
|
40
|
| Diesel Price |
Rs./Lt.
|
22,00
|
| Total CO2 savings |
Tons/yr.
|
90:170
|
|
|
273
|
|
|
