STUDIES ON BIOMASS UTILIZATION IN A RURAL INDIA
STUDIES ON BIOMASS UTILIZATION IN A RURAL INDIA AND ITS IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ON ENVIRONMENT WITH SUGGESTION FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
Ashwini Kumar and Santosh Sharma
Bio-Technology Lab Department of Botany
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302 004
Energy Plantation Demonstration project and Biotechnology Center.
Email. msku31@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT : Around 80% of the population lives in rural areas which primarily utilize biomass for their
energy requirement. Depending on the agroclimatic zone by diversity and plant productivity the biomass
utilization varies in different parts of the country. A large number of laticiferous plants have been reported to
yield hydrocarbons which could be converted into petroleum like substances. Initially E. abyssinica J.F.
Gmel. Was used by French in Morocco and Italians in Ethiopia. Subsequently, a systematic search was made
for renewable sources of liquid fuel. United States Department of Agriculture carried out major surveys in
the Northern Regional Research Centre, Western United States, Southern Great Plains and other parts of
USA. The present paper describes the use of various biofuel sources in the rural areas of India.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Energy Scene in India
Energy consumption is an index of a country’s
economic development. It has been estimated that if the
economic growth rates were to be in the range of 5.5-
6%, the energy requirements would register a four-fold
increase within the next 20 years. According to the
Report of the Working Group on Energy Policy, 1979,
it is evident that there has been a steady increase in the
consumption of the commercial form of energy (coal,
oil and electricity) from 32.4% in 1953-54 to 59.7% in
1978-79 while a similar decrease is noticed in the noncommercial
sources of energy (fuelwood, agricultural
residues, and animal dung). The steep price hike in the
commercial energy forms has started showing serious
repercussions on all programmes of development in the
country. A further increase in the consumption of
commercial forms of energy by about 71.1% during
1987-88 and 86.2% during 2000-2001 AD is likely to
aggravate the situation still further (Table 1).
1.2 Biomass as a Source of Energy
Energy sources can be broadly divided into three
distinct groups : fossil fuels, fissionable nuclear fuels
and non-fossil, non-nuclear energy sources. Inspite of
their outstanding virtues, fossil fuels have two
insurmountable drawbacks. Firstly, these are nonrenewable
and thus supply of many such fuels is either
approaching exhaustion or getting more difficult to
procure due to transport bottlenecks and steep hike in
their price level. Secondly, their continued and
increasing use creates environmental problems. Like
fossil fuels, fissionable nuclear fuels also suffer from
two serious drawbacks. Their supply from relatively
cheap sources is drying up even for the most advanced
countries. Moreover, the production and use of this
sources cause a plethora of hazards both to man and his
balanced environment on earth.
According to Dr. T.N. Khoshoo, Secretary, Department
of Environment, the only alternative appropriate to the
socio-economic conditions prevailing in this country is
the Photo-synthetic Model of Development. It has been
the source of an old, reliable and renewable form of
energy, now referred to under a new name, Biomass.
This is relevant even for all developing countries,
although its extent and nature may vary from one
country to another. Out of the total solar energy on
earth (3x1024), the plant life utilizes about 0.1%
annually, leading to an annual net production of 2x1011
tonnes of organic matter which has an energy content of
3x1012J. The total annual energy use, however, is of the
order of 3x1020J. One of the natural assets of our
country in the abundant sunshine. The total solar
radiation received in India is about 60x1013 MWH, with
250-300 days of useful sunshine per year in most parts
of the country. The daily average direct radiation at
places in the central part of the country is 5-7kwh/m2.
There is thus a vast scope for harvesting solar energy
and improvement in photosynthetic efficiency (Fig. 2).
1.3 Biofuel Sources
Some of the common biomass used are –
1. Fuel wood
2. Cow dung
3. Sawdust
4. Coconut husk
5. Pea nut shell
6. Bagasse of sugarcane
7. Straw
8. Rice hask
9. Culums of pulses
10. Saccharum munja
11. Cajanu scajan
The cowdung also mixed with wheat straw cold dust in
different proportionate to make brickets use of biomass
in their raw form results in considerable loss of energy
because of uncontrolled burning process. In efficient
burning in poor fire place results in smoke in waste full
utilization of pressure biomass resources. The fuel
wood is used in rural India varies from roots of
Caligonum polygonoides (fog.) in western Rajasthan,
stem of Calotropis procera in dried climatic zones,
dried Euphorbia in semi-arid region, Acacias species,
Prosopis, Holoptelia integrifolia.
STUDIES ON BIOMASS UTILIZATION IN A RURAL INDIA AND ITS IMPACT ASSESSMENT
ON ENVIRONMENT WITH SUGGESTION FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
Ashwini Kumar and Santosh Sharma
Bio-Technology Lab Department of Botany
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302 004
Energy Plantation Demonstration project and Biotechnology Center.
Email. msku31@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT : Around 80% of the population lives in rural areas which primarily utilize biomass for their
energy requirement. Depending on the agroclimatic zone by diversity and plant productivity the biomass
utilization varies in different parts of the country. A large number of laticiferous plants have been reported to
yield hydrocarbons which could be converted into petroleum like substances. Initially E. abyssinica J.F.
Gmel. Was used by French in Morocco and Italians in Ethiopia. Subsequently, a systematic search was made
for renewable sources of liquid fuel. United States Department of Agriculture carried out major surveys in
the Northern Regional Research Centre, Western United States, Southern Great Plains and other parts of
USA. The present paper describes the use of various biofuel sources in the rural areas of India.
2508
2nd World Conference on Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection, 10-14 May 2004, Rome, Italy
The improperly dried would results in considerable
fuels and smoke.
Energy plantation include fast growing plants which
yield biomass on a three year rotation cycle. Some of
the plants used for the energy plantation include :
1.4 Goat and Sheep
Crop residues / Weeds/ Neglected Plants
Bagasse
Banana peel/stem
Coconut waste
Coffee waste
Corn stover
Cotton stalks
Groundnut shell
Jute sticks
Maize cobs
Molasses
Rice husk
Rice straw
Farm residues : programme and policies
Forest Waste
Swadust
Wood chips
Industrial Waste
Dairy waste
Distillery effluents/spent wash
Plastic waste
Textile waste
Urban Waste
Solid waste/ city refuse
Liquid waste/sewage
Weeds/Neglected plants
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
Calotropis (Calotropis spp)
Other wastes
Energy plantations
Agati (Sesbania grandiflora)
Axlewood (Anogeissus latifolia)
Babul (Acacia nilotica)
Bengali babul (Acacia auriculiformis)
Ber (Zizyphus mauritiana)
Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia)
Ebony (Diospyros melanoxylon)
Eucalyptus (Eucalptus spp)
Euphorbia (Euphoriba spp)
Gmelina (Gmelina arborea)
Guayule (Parthenium argentatum)
Israel Babul (Acacia tortilis)
Kadam (Anthocephalus cadamba)
Jojoba (Simondsia chinensis)
Mango trees (Mangifera indica)
Palm trees
Pines (Pinus spp)
Poplar (Populus spp)
Rain Tree (Pithecellobium soman)
Sal (Shorea robusta)
Salai (Boswelia serrata)
Shisham (Dalbergia spp)
Subabul (Kubabul) (Leucaena leucocephala)
Teak (Tectona grandis)
Terminalia (Terminalia spp)
Energy Cropping
Cassava (Manihot esculenta)
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
Mahua flowers (Madhuca indica)
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris)
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Acacia auriculifomis has specific gravity 0.60 to 0.78
and 4800-4900 kCal/gm it is fotter nitrogen fixer.
Acacia leucopholea (safed babool) has specific gravity
0.78 and 4899kcl/gm.
Acacia nilotica, A. tortilis, A. senegal, Aegle marmelos
(bel) has specific gravity 0.91 and 4495kcl/gm.
Albezia lebbec (siris) has a higher calorific value 5163
and low specific gravity 0.55-0.64.
Other short rotation tree include Cassia fistula
(Amaltas), Butea monosperna Capparis aphyll, Cassia
siamea, Cajurina equisitifolia, Cordia dicotoma,
Delbergia sisso, Eucalyptus, tereticornis, Gravellia
robosta, Hardwickia binata, Holoptelia integrifolia.
Azardiracta indica. Prosopis chinensis, Prosopis
juliflora, Sesbenia grandiflora, Salvadora oleoides,
Stercularia urens, Temaris aphylla, Terminalia
bellirica.
Beside the tree species certain shrubs or annuals are
also used for fuel purposes which include Crotolaria
juncea, Cymopsis tetragonoloba, sesbnia, Aegyptiaca
Calotropis procera, Jatropha curcas. These plants are
used directly for burning in the rural areas of the
country. Derris indica also yields Karunj oil, Acacia
tortilis introduced in Rajasthan is able to grow at 50ºC
it is fast growing plant in arid region. A twelve year old
plantation of 3x3 mtr. spacing yields 54 tonne/hac. It is
ideally suited for extreme conditions similarly Prosopis
chinensis also yield 40 tonne/ha/year. Its fast growth for
remarkable.
2. CONCLUSION
A large number of unutilized and underutilized plants
have potential for their use in bio-energy plantations
and use in rural applications.
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2nd World Conference on Biomass for Energy, Industry and Climate Protection, 10-14 May 2004, Rome, Italy
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