Rice husk for power generation

Innovation pathway relevant to

  • Rice milling companies
  • Power plant equipment makers
  • Biomass gasifier companies
  • Power generation companies
  • Boiler makers

Background & introduction

Rice husk being generated from agro processing industries is produced in several million tons which are currently burned in open fields. Only a small portion is being used for alternative applications such as cold storage, wall insulation, etc.

One of the sustainable ways of utilizing this waste rice husk is for power generation, where rice husks serve as raw materials in boilers.

What are the key sustainability benefits?

Use of rice husk minimizes the cost of electricity, while also minimizing the environmental impacts associated with burning of biomass wastes.

How does this work?

Electricity from power generation involves two technologies - combustion in steam turbine power plants and gasification in biomass gasifiers. Rice husk is pre-treated to reduce the size and densified or torrefied. 

In the case of combustion, the rice husk is directly burnt in boilers in power plants for electricity generation. 

In the case of gasification, rice husks are converted to syngas at temperatures of 700-900 deg C. The syngas produced is then converted to electricity using suitable engines or turbines.

Where is innovation needed (which part of the process)?

The challenge lies in commercial exploitation of this technology. Inconsistent raw material supply chain and project economics, in particular for gasification are the key challenges. Further, poor clarity on the efficiency of the existing technologies to harness the full potential of rice husk hampers the implementation of projects.

Technology innovations to enhance the efficiency of processes and business model innovations is critical.

Keywords

  • Rice husk to power
  • Biomass power generation
  • Biomass to electricity
  • Biomass gasification
  • Biomass combustion

Knowledge resources

Energy production from Rice husk

Link

Rice husk energy plant in rural India

Link

Feasibility Report on Installation of Rice Husk Power Plant in Bilaspur (Case study)

Link

A Study on Electricity Generation through Rice Husk Gasifier (Case study)

Link

Husk Power Systems, electricity from crop waste - Ashden Award winner (Video)

Link

How Social Entrepreneurs Use Rice Husks to Power India (Video)

Link

50 kw Electricity Power generation from Biomass Rice Husk Gasifier for village electrification (Video)

Link

Updates

Bihar's husk power

Four men who are energising villages with electricity generated in their own backyard using rice husk with support from the University of Virginia

Link

Running On Rice Husks—How One Entrepreneur Brought Electricity to His Village

In the rural Indian province of Bihar, Husk Power Systems is converting leftover rice husks into biofuel. Now they’re building mini-power plants around the country, and expanding into Tanzania

Link

Rice Husk Power Generation in Rice Mill Factory in Ayeyarwady

This project is biomass power generation using rice husk from rice mill factory in Myaung Mya, Ayeyarwady region where produces large volume of rice

Link

Mini-Grids Making Electricity More Accessible With Rice Husk and corn Cobs

Mini-grids—smaller off-grid electricity distribution networks—are being recognized as a cost-effective solution to bring power to rural communities that often have no access to a traditional power grid

Link

Nigerian university becomes first to launch its own organic waste power plant

The organic waste power plant is a 100 kilo-volt-ampere (kVA) refuse-derived fuel (RDF) gasification plant designed to power the whole campus and nearby communities

Link

Punjab government inks MoU with Virgo Corp for biofuel project

Virgo Corporation, will use the technology to produce biofuel from rice husk at a processing plant

Link

Biomass project to turn agri waste into green fuel

Biomass-based renewable energy project is first-of-its-kind in Goa which will help reduce open dumping and burning of agriculture waste and will bring down the carbon footprint by replacing fossil fuels with biomass briquettes

Link