Performance evaluation of 1.2 MW biomass gasifier based power plant in Sankheda, Gujarat
Student name: Mr Pugazenthi D
Guide: Dr P Raman
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr V K Jain
Abstract: India’s electricity consumption is growing faster in the recent years. The demand-supply gap is
increasing year-by-year. Increasing global coal and oil price is not helping to bridge this demandsupply
gap.
In India, the available surplus biomass is 120 to 150 million tons per annum, corresponding to a
power potential of 18 GW biomass power. Promoting grid-connected biomass gasification based
power plant is vital.
Under the current study, performance evaluation of 1.2 MW grid-connected biomass gasifier based
power plant in Sankheda, Gujarat has been carried out. Variation in the plant operation load,
detailed plant utility factor were studied and analyzed. Factors related to operation, maintenance
and economics were worked out. The detailed specific biomass consumption, number of units of
electricity generated on hourly, daily and monthly basis and other relevant data has been collected
through field visit and stake holder’s interviews. A detailed analysis on policy aspects of third-party
agreement and financial aspects has been carried out. For this type of plant, unscheduled
interchange charge plays a crucial role for analyzing the performance. Already in India there is a
debate on selling power to third party through open access between the planning commission and the
central power ministry. The study also explores the profit scenarios along with increase in the
capacity utilization factor of the plant.
Key words: biomass gasification, grid-connected plant, third party agreement, unscheduled
interchange charge, performance evaluation
