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.
Use of rice husk minimizes the cost of electricity, while also minimizing the environmental impacts associated with burning of biomass wastes.
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.
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.
Four men who are energising villages with electricity generated in their own backyard using rice husk with support from the University of Virginia
LinkIn 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
LinkThis project is biomass power generation using rice husk from rice mill factory in Myaung Mya, Ayeyarwady region where produces large volume of rice
LinkMini-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
LinkThe 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
LinkVirgo Corporation, will use the technology to produce biofuel from rice husk at a processing plant
LinkBiomass-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