Village Electrification using 100% Rice-husk powered Gasifier System Vill – Tamakuha, Distt – West Champaran, Bihar

A Non-Govt Organization registered in 2007 under the Societies Registration Act 21, 1860 Based in Patna, Bihar Funded by NRIs as well as local residents

Mission Empowerment of remote and neglected rural areas of Bihar through spread of Energy and smart Agricultural practices Goal for the project To provide clean electric lighting to the households in Tamkuha at a rate cheaper than their current expenditure

Site Selection UP on 3 sides and the erratic Great Gandak on the fourth

Population – approx excluding migrants + a thriving marketplace with over 50 shops No. of households – approx. 350 Distance from distt. Headquarter - ~150 km Distance from electrical substation – 82 km Distance from nearest railhead – 47 km Paddy production of over 1200 tonnes/year Site Selection

Technology Has to be non-conventional Solar energy is expensive –Approx. Rs. 400 / W for installation Wind energy is not amply available Hydel power is not feasible –High cost of establishment –Approx. 7 km from the nearest river Biomass energy is practically the only available option

Technology – Biomass Gasifier

Dual Fuel Mode - Very Commonly Used Single Fuel Mode – we are the first using rice-husk

A Short Movie

Cost of Establishment Total Cost – Rs 10,00,000 * *We teamed up with new suppliers for the gasifier and the generator with govt approved suppliers the cost is over Rs 25,00,000 our system is cheaper even without the govt subsidy

Operating Expenses Approx. 50 kg Rice-husk / hour One LPG cylinder per 4 starts 3 personnel Misc. expenses on maintenance of the system

Power Distribution

Power supply for 6 hrs in the evening Pre-paid power at the rate of Rs. 30 per W CFL for households and Rs. 40 per W CFL for businesses –Only CFL allowed for lighting Total 300 connections Avg. less than 2 CFL per connection –Approx. Rs. 50 per connection Approx. 65 A electricity usage at V (As read at the plant) –Approx. 15% distribution loss Power Distribution

BIG PROBLEM Power Distribution - Economics

Rice husk at ~90p per kg –Rs. 0.9 * 50 * 6 * 30 per month –Had planned it at 50p per kg LPG cylinders are expensive –Can’t procure enough from the LPG dealers at the controlled prices –Rs 500 per cylinder in the black market Rs. 500 * 10 per month Power Distribution - Economics

Total expenditure ~ Rs 22,000 per month Collection of only Rs. 15,000 per month

Generate own rice-husk Remove the LPG Power Distribution – Economics Solution

Setup a mini Rice mill in partnership with a local at the plant –Milling capacity of ~400 kg paddy per hour using approx. 15 A / phase –Milling at zero cost to attract consumers Operation and depreciation cost to be recovered by sale of the bran –Approx. Rs 10,000 per month (Rs organization’s share) Operate the dehusker and polisher alternatively –Possible to operate in parallel with the electricity supply to users Generation of ~300 kg rice-husk per day –Daily consumption is approximately the same –More than 40% rice-husk generated assuming 6 months operation of the rice mill Cost of setting up the rice mill ~ Rs. 70,000 –Organization’s share Rs 35,000 Power Distribution – Economics Generating Rice-husk

Power Distribution - Economics Total Investment ~Rs. 10,35,000 Total Expense ~Rs per month

Power Distribution – Economics Removing the need for LPG Store the Producer Gas for usage during the next start –Storage at ~200 psi –Less than 10% leakage in 24 hours Adds Rs 10,000 to the cost

Power Distribution - Economics Total Investment ~Rs. 10,45,000 Total Expense ~Rs per month

Fuses with every connection to check extreme theft of power –Not aware of any efficient circuit breakers for 20 W power range 5-volunteer Gramin Urja Niyantran Samiti formed to check the power theft as well as the regular fulfillment of operators’ responsibilities Entire village divided in 4 sectors and 2-volunteer teams formed to assist in timely collection of advance dues –Not an easy task –Need to generate more revenue to keep the operations fairly independent of collections from the users Power Distribution - Monitoring

approx. 30 A current in one phase still remaining –Run a 3 hp water pump for irrigation Compare Rs 30 per hour vs Rs 80 per hour for 5 hp pump sets –Approx. Rs 3000 per month for 5 months –Adds Rs 15,000 to total investment Working to add a wheat grinder to the rice-mill –Possible because only the dehusker or the polisher of the rice- mill run at one time –Would add Rs. 15,000 to total investment (7.5K in partnership –Would add approx. Rs per month in earning (Rs 2500 being the organization’s share Power Distribution Further Improvements

Winter Economics Total Expense – Rs. 12,500 pm Collection from the users – Rs 15,000 pm Income generation from subsidiary activities ~ Rs pm (very very conservative projection ) Net saving of approx. Rs. 9,000 pm Daytime operation expected to commence in january –Primarily for irrigation and operation of the rice-mill / wheat grinder –May expect an additional income of approx. Rs pm

Expect the demand to grow 100% –Rice-mill wouldn’t operate –Revenue of Rs. 30,000 from evening operations Expect at least as much load as winters during the day –Revenue of approx. Rs. 15,000 Opportunity for catering power to threshers Operations cost approx. Rs 25,000 pm –A saving of over Rs. 20,000 Need to store husk for the rainy days –Ample space (over 4000 sq feet) land for stocking –Ample husk in the area currently We have verbal contracts with over 6 rice-mills in the area for 100% of their rice-husk For the Summer

Timeline

So Far… Total Investment of ~11,00,000 –Including Rs. 25,000 in maintaining operations in the initial months Conservatively projected savings of Rs. 15,000 pm averaged over a year Carbon credit cash from European Agencies worth approx. Rs. 50,000 Return of more than 20% p.a. –System pays itself off in 5 years only

Future Extend the concept to at least 25 villages in the rice-rich region in next 2-3 years

Roadblocks Political boundaries –Has to pass through UP to reach this unfortunate region of Bihar from Bihar –We don’t know of a legal way to transport goods through the Bihar – UP and UP – Bihar border Need funds – a lot of it –Seeking help from banks, investors and donors

Acknowledgements Mr. S.K. Singh, PSO, MNRE, Patna M/s Ganesh Engg. Works, Buxar (Gasifier supplier ) M/s Prakash Diesels, Agra (Generator supplier ) Our Family and Friends for constantly doubting and/or encouraging us