Prajwal Raj Shakya

Programme Officer
Biomass Energy Sub-Component
AEPC/ NRREP
Biomass Energy Potential Map of Nepal

Map of Nepal showing distribution of forests (1991-92 data)

Source: Gasifier feasibility study report, VERDICT, 2011

Scope of BESC
 Extended Scope of BESC
Biomass Densification Biomass Gasification
Traditional animal dung briquettes used as cooking fuel
Pictures of waste biomass that are being used widely in the rural areas
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Densification is the general process of compressing the loose biomass to obtain
compact solid shape or form using pressure, heat, binder.

These technologies are also known as pelleting, briquetting, or agglomeration.

WHY DENSIFY BIOMASS?

1. Homogenize diverse biomass feedstocks into one form
• Reduce handling difficulties
• Convert multiple biomass materials into single, durable form
2. Increase energy density
• Higher energy density reduces transportation cost
• Reduce unneeded oxygen content in densified product
3. Improve storage stability and logistics of delivery
• Develop robust pelletization methods & reduce dust
• Reduce chemical activity
• Increase weather/ water resistance
• Address seasonality of some feedstocks
4. Seamlessly integrate densified biomass into coal gasification and combustion
• Infrastructure compatibility – “drop-in” replacement for fossil fuel
• Economy for utilisation
• Systematic benefits (e.g. reduce fossil carbon emissions)
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
What is the limit for densifying biomass?

6
But, we don’t have 10 years…
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
What is the limit for densifying biomass?

6
But, we don’t have 10 years…
BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION

Controlling densification system variables can be important to

achieving the desired density, durability, and quality.

Densification System Variables

Biomass
Process Variables Feedstock Variables Binders Used
Composition
Binding/adhesion
Temperature Moisture content Bentonite
properties
Particle size, shape Lubrication
Pressure Starches
& distribution properties
Retention / Hold
Protein
time
Die Geometry & Lignosulfonate
speed (pulp milll liquor)
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Carbonised Non Carbonised

High pressure
compression

Low pressure
compression
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Carbonised Process
Biomass collection and preparation

Charring / making charcoal

Cleaning and grinding of char

Preparation of mixture

Briquette making

Drying of briquettes

Packing & storage

 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Carbonised Process
 The Vertical Drum Kiln

Collecting Biomass for charring

Charcoal preparation

Charcoal Grinding
 Calorific value verses clay content
Banmara char from pit + red clay
Banmara char from pit + bentonite clay
7000 Pine charcoal + bentonite clay
Banmara char from charring drum + black clay
Banmara char from charring drum + white clay
Calorific value (kcal/kg)

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Clay content in BHB (% by wt)
Mold with 19 holes Mold with 17 holes Larger manual mold

Compression technology
Beehive or Honey Comb briquetting
Improved hand mold Chinese manual mold
Foot peddle press mold

AEPC/ESAP_PRShakya
 Making pellets manually Hand pressed charcoal pellets

Compression technology

Metallic mold and hammer Simple metallic mold Charcoal briquettes

 Compression technology
Beehive or Honey Comb briquetting

Mechanical
mold

Single mold Four molds

Three molds
 Peddle press pelletizer

Pelletizer or pellet press technology

Manual pellet machine Electric pellet machine

 Screw extruder machine

Screw extruder briquetting

Charcoal briquettes
 Schematic diagram

Roller press technology

Charcoal briquettes

Coal briquettes
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Non Carbonised
Process
Raw material sieving

Drying

Preheat High pressure

compression

Densification

Cooling

Packing & storage

 Schematic diagram of screw
extruder technology

Screw Extruder Technology

Screw extruder machine

Saw dust briquettes
 Schematic diagram
of a piston press

Piston press technology

Piston press briquettor Briquettes from Piston press

 Schematic diagram of
roller press briquetting

Roller press briquetting machine

Roller Press Briquetting technology

Pillow
type
briquettes
from
roller
press
Ring matrix pelletizing press Disc matrix pelletizing press

Pelletizers or pellet press

Pelletizer Pellets
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Non Carbonised
Process

Raw material sieving

Pulping or paste in water

Compression
Low pressure
compression

Drying

Packing & storage

BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Biomass Briquetting

Non Carbonised

Low pressure
compression
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Common use of Briquettes

Household / Institutional Sector Industrial Sector

Space heating Boilers /Furnace

Hot air generation/ Drying /

Cooking/ barbeque
processing

Alternative to fuelwood / loose

Blending / coal replacement
biomass

Electricity Generation &

cogeneration
 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION

Scope of BESC
• Policy level support for promotion
• Capacity building of producers (Local
community, Companies)
• Market identification / development
• Awareness generation
• Technology piloting
 A Variety of Bioenergy Routes & Biomass Gasification

1Partsof each feedstock, e.g., crop residues could be used in other routes;
2Each route also gives co-products;
3Biomass upgrading includes any of the densification processes;
4AD= Anaerobic Digestion
34 Source: E4tech, 2008.
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
What is Biomass Gasification?

• Gasification is essentially the

conversion of biomass to a
combustible gas (CO, H2 and
CH4) called “Producer Gas” or
“Syn Gas”

• This gas can then be burnt

directly for thermal application
or fed in Gas Engine Gensets to
produce electricity
BIOMASS GASIFICATION

Source: Basu, P., 2010

 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Typical Producer Gas Properties
Particulars Rice Husk as biomass Woody Biomass
CO 15-20% 15-20%
H2 10-15% 15-20%
CH4 Upto 4% Upto 3%
N2 45-55% 45-50%
CO2 8-12% 8-12%
Gas C.V. in kcal/Nm3 Above 1050 Above 1100
Gas generated in 2 2.5
Nm3/Kg of biomass
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Feedstock
Wide range of biomass can be used as fuel for
gasifier including forest and agro-residues
such as:
• Wood Pieces, Chips and Woody Waste
• Rice Husk TREES ARE NOT
• Coconut Shells THE SOURCE OF
• Mustard and Cotton Stalk FEEDSTOCK FOR
GASIFIERS
• Bamboo Pieces BUT
• Tea and Coffee Waste THE WOODY
• Corncob BIOMASS RESIDUE
• Sugarcane baggasse AND
AGRICULTURAL
RESIDUES ARE !!!!!
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Applications
Power Generation Thermal Applications

• Village Electrification • Hot Air Generators

• IrrigationCommercial
Pumping value for Byproducts
• Dryers
of gasifier

• Captive1. Power
Char – Briquettes, Incense • making
Boilers
(Industries)
2. Ash – Fertilizer, fly ash in cement production
• Thermic Fluid
3. Tar
• Grid-fed – Cosmetic
Power from value, black topping
Heaters
Energy Plantations on • Ovens
Wastelands
• Furnaces & Kilns
• Simultaneous Charcoal
and Power
Production
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION

Gasifier
Gasifierfor
ForThermal
Electrification
Energy

A typical configuration of a gasifier system coupled with internal combustion engines

 Opportunities for Biomass Based Power
Production in Nepal-1
• Biomass is the primary source of energy
supplying 87.1% of the country’s total energy
consumption
• Agriculture activity is major economic
activity & a lot of biomass is produced in the
from of agro-residue.
• Forest-residue is also abundant; large
quantity available from community forests
• 30% of rural populace have access to
electricity compared to 90% in urban areas
• Power shortage in grid supplied areas
 Opportunities for Biomass Based Power
Production in Nepal-2
• Weeds like water hyacinth (Eichhornia spp.), ipomoea
(Ipomoea spp.) & dhaincha (Sesbania spp.) are in
plentiful amount mainly in Terai due to the sub tropical
climate
• Remote Terai with no national grid has a very few
alternatives for power generation; energy from
sustainable biomass resources can be promising
• Biomass gasifier is a viable alternative for electricity
generation in the remote rural areas where biomass
supply based on agricultural and forestry residue as well
as waste biomass vegetation is in abundance
Estimated Potential of Biomass Energy in Nepal
from Various Biomass Sources
Potential
S.N Source of Biomass Capacity Remarks
(in MW)

1 Sustainable fuel wood 800 7.0 million t/year and 1.0 kg/kW

12 million t/year from five main

2 Agro residue 700 crop type and
2 Kg/kW
4.6 million t/year (28 kg/m3 &
3 Collectible dung 23
1.25 kW/m3)
Forest and other agro
4 To be assessed
residue

5 Biofuel To be assessed

Source: Gasifier-prefeasibility report, Winrock International, 2010

 Biomass Energy Sub-Component of NRREP,
2012-17
• Output 2.4: New technologies such as enterprise scale
gasifiers and bio-briquetting are ready and field tested
Piloting of biomass gasifier electrification systems for community
electrification & captive electricity generation for SMEs
Dissemination of thermal gasifier units for SMEs
Capacity development of manufacturers on gasifier technology
Information dissemination & promotion
Dissemination strategy for gasifier technology under subsidy
 Biomass Gasification in Government Policy
Renewable (Rural) Energy Subsidy Policy (2013):
• The subsidy amount of NPR 150,000 but not more than
50% of the plant cost will be provided to metallic gasifier
plant for thermal application for agro-processing by
small, medium and cottage enterprises.
• If the electricity is generated from the biomass energy
sources, the maximum subsidy amount of NPR. 200,000
per kW installed capacity or 50% of the cost whichever is
less will be provided for the biomass power plant.
Basic requirements for feasibility of project:
•No possibility of national grid extension
•Availability of sustainable biomass sources
•End use possibilities
•Dense clusters
 Biomass Gasifier based technologies
piloted under AEPC
• Piloted 4 units of biomass gasifier for thermal
application (agro-processing, tea and herbs drying)
at Ilam, Panchthar & Kathmandu during AEPC/ESAP
Biomass Gasifier based technologies piloted

Gasifier piloted for community electrification under

AEPC/REDP at Madhuban Bazar, Madhubangoth VDC,
SARLAHI
Additional Biomass Gasifier projects under construction
Project conducted under AEPC
Location: Simari, Kanakpur VDC, RAUTAHAT
• System capacity - 20 kW
• No. of beneficiary (HHs)- 220
• System type: 100% producer gas model

Project conducted under AEPC/RERL

Location: Belwajabdi VDC, SARLAHI
• System capacity - 11 kW
• No. of beneficiary (HHs) - 165
• System type: 100% producer gas model
 Emerging Involvement of Private Sector
• Pioneer Wires Limited, Biratnagar : 350kW gasifier for
electrification in industry during power cut
• Hulas Steel Industries Limited: Two units of gasifier (550
kW each) of total capacity of 1100kW to generate thermal
energy
• Hulas Wire Industries Limited, Biratnagar (500kW)
• Bhudeo Khadya Udhyog, Lalbandi, (400 kW), full plant
operation during load shedding
• Mahalaxmi Silicate, Biratnagar (500kWth)
• Arihant Wires, Biratnagar (500kWth)
• AIT based gasifier has been developed and tested in
RECAST, NAST and KU.
Thank You