Village Electrification using 100% Rice-husk powered Gasifier System

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Village Electrification using 100 Rice-husk
powered Gasifier System

• Vill Tamakuha,
• Distt West Champaran, Bihar

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• A Non-Govt Organization registered in 2007 under
  the Societies Registration Act 21, 1860
• Based in Patna, Bihar
• Funded by NRIs as well as local residents

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• Mission
• Empowerment of remote and neglected rural areas
  of Bihar through spread of Energy and smart
  Agricultural practices
• Goal for the project
• To provide clean electric lighting to the
  households in Tamkuha at a rate cheaper than
  their current expenditure

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Site Selection
UP on 3 sides and the erratic Great Gandak on the
fourth
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Site Selection

• Population approx. 1200 excluding migrants a
  thriving marketplace with over 50 shops
• No. of households approx. 350
• Distance from distt. Headquarter - 150 km
• Distance from electrical substation 82 km
• Distance from nearest railhead 47 km
• Paddy production of over 1200 tonnes/year

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Technology

• Has to be non-conventional
• Solar energy is expensive
• Approx. Rs. 400 / W for installation
• Wind energy is not amply available
• Hydel power is not feasible
• High cost of establishment
• Approx. 7 km from the nearest river
• Biomass energy is practically the only available
  option

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Technology Biomass Gasifier
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Technology Biomass Gasifier
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Technology Biomass Gasifier
Dual Fuel Mode - Very Commonly Used
Single Fuel Mode we are the first using
rice-husk
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A Short Movie
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Cost of Establishment
Total Cost Rs 10,00,000
We teamed up with new suppliers for the gasifier
and the generator with govt approved suppliers
the cost is over Rs 25,00,000 our system is
cheaper even without the govt subsidy
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Operating Expenses

• Approx. 50 kg Rice-husk / hour
• One LPG cylinder per 4 starts
• 3 personnel
• Misc. expenses on maintenance of the system

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Power Distribution
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Power Distribution

• Power supply for 6 hrs in the evening
• Pre-paid power at the rate of Rs. 30 per 15-20 W
  CFL for households and Rs. 40 per 15-20 W CFL for
  businesses
• Only CFL allowed for lighting
• Total 300 connections
• Avg. less than 2 CFL per connection
• Approx. Rs. 50 per connection
• Approx. 65 A electricity usage at 210-220V (As
  read at the plant)
• Approx. 15 distribution loss

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Power Distribution - Economics

• BIG PROBLEM

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Power Distribution - Economics

• Rice husk at 90p per kg
• Rs. 0.9 50 6 30 per month
• Had planned it at 50p per kg
• LPG cylinders are expensive
• Cant procure enough from the LPG dealers at the
  controlled prices
• Rs 500 per cylinder in the black market
• Rs. 500 10 per month

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Power Distribution - Economics
Total expenditure Rs 22,000 per month
Collection of only Rs. 15,000 per month
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Power Distribution EconomicsSolution

• Generate own rice-husk
• Remove the LPG

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Power Distribution EconomicsGenerating
Rice-husk

• Setup a mini Rice mill in partnership with a
  local at the plant
• Milling capacity of 400 kg paddy per hour using
  approx. 15 A / phase
• Milling at zero cost to attract consumers
• Operation and depreciation cost to be recovered
  by sale of the bran
• Approx. Rs 10,000 per month (Rs. 4000
  organizations share)
• Operate the dehusker and polisher alternatively
• Possible to operate in parallel with the
  electricity supply to users
• Generation of 300 kg rice-husk per day
• Daily consumption is approximately the same
• More than 40 rice-husk generated assuming 6
  months operation of the rice mill
• Cost of setting up the rice mill Rs. 70,000
• Organizations share Rs 35,000

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Power Distribution - Economics

• Total Investment Rs. 10,35,000

• Total Expense Rs. 17500 per month

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Power Distribution EconomicsRemoving the need
for LPG

• Store the Producer Gas for usage during the next
  start
• Storage at 200 psi
• Less than 10 leakage in 24 hours
• Adds Rs 10,000 to the cost

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Power Distribution - Economics

• Total Investment Rs. 10,45,000

• Total Expense Rs. 12500 per month

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Power Distribution - Monitoring

• Fuses with every connection to check extreme
  theft of power
• Not aware of any efficient circuit breakers for
  20 W power range
• 5-volunteer Gramin Urja Niyantran Samiti formed
  to check the power theft as well as the regular
  fulfillment of operators responsibilities
• Entire village divided in 4 sectors and
  2-volunteer teams formed to assist in timely
  collection of advance dues
• Not an easy task
• Need to generate more revenue to keep the
  operations fairly independent of collections from
  the users

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Power Distribution Further Improvements

• approx. 30 A current in one phase still
  remaining
• Run a 3 hp water pump for irrigation
• Compare Rs 30 per hour vs Rs 80 per hour for 5 hp
  pump sets
• Approx. Rs 3000 per month for 5 months
• Adds Rs 15,000 to total investment
• Working to add a wheat grinder to the rice-mill
• Possible because only the dehusker or the
  polisher of the rice-mill run at one time
• Would add Rs. 15,000 to total investment (7.5K in
  partnership
• Would add approx. Rs. 5000 per month in earning
  (Rs 2500 being the organizations share

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Winter Economics

• Total Expense Rs. 12,500 pm
• Collection from the users Rs 15,000 pm
• Income generation from subsidiary activities
  Rs. 7000 pm (very very conservative projection )
• Net saving of approx. Rs. 9,000 pm
• Daytime operation expected to commence in january
  
• Primarily for irrigation and operation of the
  rice-mill / wheat grinder
• May expect an additional income of approx. Rs.
  9000 pm

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For the Summer

• Expect the demand to grow 100
• Rice-mill wouldnt operate
• Revenue of Rs. 30,000 from evening operations
• Expect at least as much load as winters during
  the day
• Revenue of approx. Rs. 15,000
• Opportunity for catering power to threshers
• Operations cost approx. Rs 25,000 pm
• A saving of over Rs. 20,000
• Need to store husk for the rainy days
• Ample space (over 4000 sq feet) land for stocking
• Ample husk in the area currently
• We have verbal contracts with over 6 rice-mills
  in the area for 100 of their rice-husk

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Timeline
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So Far

• Total Investment of 11,00,000
• Including Rs. 25,000 in maintaining operations in
  the initial months
• Conservatively projected savings of Rs. 15,000 pm
  averaged over a year
• Carbon credit cash from European Agencies worth
  approx. Rs. 50,000
• Return of more than 20 p.a.
• System pays itself off in 5 years only

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Future

• Extend the concept to at least 25 villages in the
  rice-rich region in next 2-3 years

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Roadblocks

• Political boundaries
• Has to pass through UP to reach this unfortunate
  region of Bihar from Bihar
• We dont know of a legal way to transport goods
  through the Bihar UP and UP Bihar border
• Need funds a lot of it
• Seeking help from banks, investors and donors

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Acknowledgements

• Mr. S.K. Singh, PSO, MNRE, Patna
• M/s Ganesh Engg. Works, Buxar (Gasifier supplier
  )
• M/s Prakash Diesels, Agra (Generator supplier )
• Our Family and Friends for constantly doubting
  and/or encouraging us