Biomass Co-firing

Why in news?

• Biomass co-firing method is appearing news due to the start of stubble burning season in Punjab and Delhi air pollution.

About Biomass Co-firing

• Biomass co-firing is a process where biomass, such as wood pellets, agricultural residues, or other organic materials, is combined with traditional fossil fuels, like coal or natural gas, and burned together to produce energy.
• This approach is used in power plants and industrial facilities as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote more sustainable energy production.
• By blending renewable biomass with fossil fuels, co-firing can decrease the carbon footprint of energy generation and make use of readily available organic materials.
• It’s considered a transitional step towards cleaner and more environmentally friendly energy production.
• Coal and biomass are combusted together in boilers that have been designed to burn coal. For this purpose, the existing coal power plant has to be partly reconstructed and retrofitted.
• The Ministry of Power has identified various surplus agro residues that can be utilized for biomass pellet production. These include agro-residues from crops such as Paddy, Soya, Arhar, Gwar, Cotton, Gram, Jawar, Bajra, Moong, Mustard, Sesame, Til, Maize, Sunflower, Jute, Coffee, etc. and shell waste products like Groundnut Shell, Coconut Shell, Castor Seed Shell, etc.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding biomass co-firing:

1. Biomass co-firing method has zero carbon footprint.
2. In India, it is banned since 2019.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer