HIGH EFFICIENCY STEAM TURBINE

How to meet the growing energy demands of India

Even though 65 years passed since we got independence the Government could not provide electricity to all households in India. According to one survey nearly 7 crore households do not have power connections to their homes. Nearly 50% of rural households do not have the electricity supply. The total installed capacity of 2,10, 000 MW is not enough to supply electricity even to half of the households and at the below worldwide average per capita power usage. The power cuts to households and industries have become regular phenomenon even in winter and rainy seasons. In summer the duration of power cuts is more than the actual duration of power supplied.  The demand between demand and supply is growing every year. 30% of the power generated is being lost in the distribution net work lines.

If the Government intends to provide electricity to all households, the installed capacity should be doubled in the next 5 years. In this scenario the Government should focus on establishing mini power plants of 1 MW capacity for every 4 to 5 villages to supply uninterrupted power supply not only to all rural households and but also to agriculture pump sets. Instead of investing lakhs of crores on hazardous nuclear plants at the rate of nearly 10 crore  for 1 MW capacity without ensured and guaranteed fuel supplies, the Government should invest on mini power plants of 1 MW capacity which can run on farm waste, urban waste and methane gas produced from cattle dung. 

In India 50 crore tonnes of farm waste is being burnt every year in the open fields. 3 crore tones of methane gas, generated from the cattle dung, is being wasted into the open air every year.

In addition to this 10 crore tonnes of urban waste (generated from vegetables, plastic, pvc, carry bags, bottles etc.,) is also being wasted every year.

 16,000 megawatts of power can be produced if this farm waste is utilized by establishing 1 mw mini power plants for each cluster of 3 to 4 villages.

If we assume that each Kg of farm waste contains 10 mega joules of energy, then 5,00,000 crore mega joules of energy is being wasted in open fields in India every year.

If 1 MJ is equal to 0.28 kw-hr, then 3.57 kgs of farm waste will produce 1000 kw/hr electricity.

Total

500000000000 kgs/3.57=140056022408 kw/year divided by 365 (days) = 383715129 kw/day divided by 24 (hours) = 15988130 kw/hr divided by 1000 = 15,988.130 mw/hr

The total capacity of power that can be achieved by using farm and other organic waste = 15,988 mw/hr

20,000 mini power plants of 1 mw/hr capacity (for cluster of 3 to 4 villages) should be established throughout India to utilize farm, organic and urban waste to meet the growing energy demands of India.

If average consumption of electricity is 200 units (1unti =1000watts) per month then 1 mw power plant can supply electricity to approximately 3,600 households in rural India.

The advantages of mini power plants

1. The transmission loss will be less.

2.  No fuel cost.

3.  Transport cost of farm, organic urban waste is low.

4.  Pollution is less because they are scattered all over the country.

5. The ash that is generated in the boilers can be broadcast in the field to achieve higher yields per acre.

If we assume that the total thermodynamic efficiency of boiler and turbines is 70%, then the actual electricity that can be produced from 70 crore tonnes of farm, organic, urban and methane = 19000 mw/hr.

6. The transmission cost is less

7. The employment generation will be more than 2,00,000

8. The cost per 1 MW capacity is less. To read full article you can log on to

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Posted by VIJAYA KRUSHNA VARMA