PEDA to generate 250 MW power

PEDA TO GENERATE 250 MW POWER USING BIO-MASS TECHNOLOGY.
To meet the shortage of power in the state through non-conventional means, Punjab Energy Development Agency has initiated various projects to generate 250MW of electricity using bio-mass technology at a cost of Rs. 900 crore.

Disclosing this here the Chairman of PEDA, Sh. Vijay Inder Singla said that under this technique, electricity would be produce mechanically by burning all the multiple agriculture wastage of all the crops like chaff, molasses and straw etc at high temperature. The cost of one biomass plant, which is capable of producing minimum of 5 MW of electricity, is Rs. 18 crore. He said the projects of 66 MW have already been allocated to the private developers and rests of the projects are going to be finalized. All these projects would be started on 35 sites indentified by the Govt. of India all over the state like in sunam, Bathinda and Mukatsar etc. where the agriculture wastage can be found in large quantity. Our two bio mass projects of 16 MW are also successfully running in Jalkheria and Mukatsar, he said.

Stressing the potential of agriculture wastage of the state Mr. Singla said Punjab as an agri hub of the country has a potential of producing 800-1000 MW of electricity through this technique and the department is all set to utilize this golden opportunity in coming years to balance the power crises in Punjab.

He further said that one of the important features of this biomass project is that Indian Government is giving a subsidy of Rs. 70 lac per MW to every private man involved in this business which has motivated a lot of other people to adopt this profession in a big way.

Mr. Singla said that the biggest benefit of this technique is that it would not only curtail medical problems and pollution which generally occur after burning of agro waste products, but now the farmers will earn from their waste too. These projects will give farmers an option to increase their income through these means, he added.