A renewable energy revolution, rooted in agriculture

Source: The post is based on the article “A renewable energy revolution, rooted in agriculture” published in The Hindu on 26th October 2022. 

Syllabus: GS 3 – Environment 

Relevance: Efforts needed to tackle stubble burning 

News: A private company has established the first bio-energy plant in Punjab to produce Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) from paddy straw. This will eventually provide the solution to stubble burning in Punjab and will convert agricultural waste into useful products. 

The plant will use one lakh tonnes of paddy straw produced from approximately 16,000 hectares of paddy fields.

What are the efforts taken by the government to tackle stubble burning? 

The government has also taken various steps to tackle stubble burning. 

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had developed a framework for the effective prevention and control of stubble burning. The framework includes both in-situ and ex-situ crop management. 

In-situ management includes mixing paddy straw and stubble in the soil using heavy machinery. This machinery is subsidized and supported by the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 

Ex-situ CRM efforts include the use of paddy straw for biomass power projects and burning in thermal power plants, as feedstock for 2G ethanol plants, feedstock in CBG plants, fuel for industrial boilers, etc. 

Further measures are also taken to ban stubble burning, monitor it and generate awareness.  

However, the measures have been not enough to tackle the burning issues and crop residue burning is spreading even to rabi crops and the rest of the country. 

Moreover, the government has sought the recommendation of FAO in tackling stubble burning. 

What were the recommendations of FAO to control stubble burning? 

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) suggested developing a crop residue supply chain in Punjab that can allow the collection, storage and final use of rice straw for other productive services. 

As per FAO, an investment of around ₹2,201 crores ($309 million) would be needed to collect, transport and store 30% of the rice straw produced in Punjab within a 20-day period. 

What are the benefits of FAO recommendations?

Implementing the recommendation would a) Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 9.7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent and around 66,000 tonnes of PM2.5, b) Farmers can expect to earn between ₹550 and ₹1,500 per ton of rice straw sold depending on market conditions, c) Rice straws can be cost-effective for producing CBG and pellets. These pellets can be used in thermal power plants as a substitute for coal and CBG as a transport fuel. 

SATAT Scheme and FAO recommendation

The GoI has come up with Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) scheme and allowed a private company to set up bio-CNG project in Punjab. 

The Government of India has set a 5% CBG production target under the SATAT scheme. This target can be achieved with 30% of rice straw produced as suggested by FAO. 

What are the benefits of SATAT scheme? 

The scheme will a) Increase local entrepreneurship, increase farmers’ income and reduce the open burning of rice straw, b) Help in producing CBG at ₹46 per kg and paddy straw from one acre of the crop can yield energy output (CBG) worth more than ₹17,000 which in turn will benefit stakeholders involved in it, c) The fermented organic manure from the plant (CBG) will be useful as compost to replenish soils heavily depleted of organic matter and d) Reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers.  

Therefore, SATAT initiative is an example of a ‘wealth from waste’ approach and circular economy.