Project Summary
Biomass as a source of energy is gaining importance as a renewable source that is additionally strengthened as the country’s agriculture as one of the prime players in the Indian economy. Use of biomass for thermal energy is age-old but the use of “modern biomass” (implying clean combustion process) is more recent. In the last three decades, with several developments in the country, more particularly with funded research and development, at the instance of MNRE, extensive meetings and discussions between the researchers and manufacturers have led to a condition of India being considered a leader in the development of biomass gasification systems meant for high grade heat or power. In these developments, CGPL, IISc is at the forefront bringing its knowledge on advanced combustion processes of handling solid biomass fuels to address power packages up to couple of megawatts. Apart from this there have been a realization of the commercial sector in putting larger power plants from the conventional thermal-steam route to size them at 10-15 MWe. In this context it is necessary that the assessment of biomass availability is made taking account of the present usages in the existing traditional practices and socially essential needs such as fodder, domestic fuel, thatching and manure.
This project was taken up to develop a software package to estimate the power generation potential augmenting the site suitability studies for biomass based power plants. CGPL, IISc took up the role of NFP (National Focal Point) for the purpose of evaluating the data and its integration. In this context, a set of Taluk and District Level surveys were instituted by MNRE to get some of the field specific data and most importantly, the local trend in the usage of the biomass. The surveys were conducted by set of consultants monitored by organizations that included TERI, Anna University, ASCII and ORG as Apex Institutions (AIs). Each phase of the survey studies helped to improve upon the quality of data collection and in building up a database to be used for the Biomass Resource Atlas. The survey reports have given a good option in validating and consolidating Crop Yields, CRR (Crop to Residue Ratio) and the usage factors of the biomass. The calorific value of the biomass is estimated based on its ash and moisture content and this data for the different biomass residues are consolidated and built in to the database.
The most significant contributing data for the atlas come from the remote sensing data that has involved ISRO-RRSSC for the providing the data and the collected annual statistical data from MoA and other organizations. Though there have been significant time-gaps between the published statistical data and the field data, it is observed that the trend of the biomass growth can be established that can be used as a valid estimate for the subsequent period. However, in this project, the data on biomass resources is limited to a few years in the range of 2000-2004 and is restricted to only agro-residues. Expansion of this data for other sectors of biomass resources including waste-lands and forests is considered to be taken up and the atlas would be suitably updated when this work is completed.
The Strategy for the Project
The electronic atlas is an assimilation of data from different sources and focused on estimating the availability of biomass as a potential fuel for generation of power. Remote Sensing Data (RSD) from Indian Satellites has been one of the most significant input data used. Data obtained from survey teams during in over 15 states at district levels, country wide has served as prime source for the ground truth verification after spatial aggregation at district level. The reported data from MoA for annual crop production has been used as the strong statistical ground reference data sets. Other reported and published data are also used appropriately. Biomass utilization patterns for societal purposes as well as crop-to-residue ratios were derived from the strategically selected sample Taluk survey studies at the initial stage (about 500 Taluks) across the country. The Crop-to-Residue Ratios (CRR) for different biomass species are also verified with reported documents and also using direct measurement methods. Later these were cross verified and updated to provide better aggregated figure at district level using the district survey reporting.
The summary of the analysis is as follows. The RSD is used in conjunction with annual crop production data of MoA to get the spatially resolved crop distribution that provides the area covered under crop. Biomass growth is estimated using the established CRRs applicable to each of the biomass residues of the crops identified. The surplus biomass with a potential for power generation is estimated accounting for its utilization in usages such as societal and other essential needs such as fodder, thatching and a fair fraction of domestic fuels. The estimates made are found to be consistent within about 15-25% deviation from ground reality. Different tools and methods are developed in having this integration that include data and screen management. While enhancements in both the data and the presentation has been an on-going effort, it is emphasized that with the accuracy of the data displayed having a large dependency on a variety of factors, they should not be treated authentic or to be used as a reference that may have direct implications.
The Geographical Information System (GIS)
The biomass is heterogeneously distributed geographically (spatially) and needs to be transported to power generation units economically. To contemplate a power generation plant, it is not enough that a simple database is provided as tables with conventional queries to have aggregated quantities of biomass. The biomass assessment has to be shown with geographical distribution near the ‘usage centers’. Additionally, different biomasses have different characteristics. Presentations of these features together prompt for the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) and are used in conjunction with the conventional methods of tabular style. The software package – the digital atlas is made to be with two versions. First one is a stand-alone digital atlas on the user’s PC that could be queried the other one is internet enabled with wider access. The digital atlas finally is embedded with the satellite imagery data, statistical data of crops, surveyed data for biomass usage and few other data from other sources concerning biomass related activities. The integration of the maps for all the states that navigates and provides information up to Taluka levels into the digital atlas is completed.
This is distributable software to be installed on a PC will contain a ‘one-time’ spatial biomass data. A reasonably qualified user can install this application and nominally computer savvy user can open the Digital Biomass Atlas with ease for the getting the results and can have the assessment. A special graphic query is designed that provides different biomass resourced in a circle of user’s interest that can forecast the power generation potential in a point of reference either for budgetary purposes or for an input to a DPR of a biomass based power generation unit.
Web Service for Biomass Atlas and the Database
The Digital Atlas for biomass assessment as a standalone package has limitation in having wider and easy access. To overcome this, the package is developed to work on the Internet and is enabled through Web. This option adds to the advantage that any data update made centrally is available to the users seamlessly. Many changes by way of demographic boundaries, policies, market, crop pattern, production and utilization and water resources will have a either direct or indirect influence on the assessed biomass. These changes are effectively reflected dynamically on the user’s desk from the Web data management.
After successfully testing out a prototype of the digital atlas at CGPL, IISc the National Biomass Resource Atlas is now available on internet at the link http://lab.cgpl.iisc.ernet.in and for only tabulated query results the link http://lab.cgpl.iisc.ernet.in/CropReport/Default.aspx can be used.
