Biomass in IndiaMost power plants in India continue to draw their energy from fossil fuels, resulting in high CO2 emissions. The power plant of Godawari Power and Ispat Limited in the state of Raipur was built with the support from carbon finance and now generates electricity from biomass. New boilers have been installed and the biomass is burned in a targeted manner. The emerging steam drives special turbines which generate electricity. As biomass, a regional product is used: rice husks. The cultivation of rice is an important source of income here. Traditionally, the grain is peeled in mills and the remaining husks get composted or burned in the open. Now they are collected within a radius of 50 km, transported to the power plant and used to generate electricity.
The project improves the regional supply of renewable energy as well as the economic situation of local residents. A former waste product has become a valuable raw material. Farmers achieve higher income from their harvest, as they now may sell both the husks and the corn.
How biomass projects help contribute to climate changeBiomass refers to organic residues such as tree branches, leaves, sawdust, wood chips or coconut shells. Those are of a biogenic, non-fossil nature that can be used to generate renewable energy. One way to generate renewable energy, among others, is to fire kilns using biomass. This process prevents harmful smoke and large quantities of CO2 to be released.
As an additional greenhouse gas reduction measure, biomass climate projects mostly prevent biomass from rotting in the open air, so that no methane (CH4) is released. Biomass projects in the ClimatePartner portfolio are registered with international standards.
