Biomass Energy

Technology Dissemination
Experience in Rural Nepal

Mr. Prajwal Raj Shakya,

Technical Expert- Consultant
Alternative Energy Promotion Centre
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 Environment
Health •Deforestation
•ALRI (Acute lower •GHG emission
respiratory infection)
•COPD (Chronic
obstructive pulmonary
diseases)

More than three million people in

Nepal are still using TCS
More than 22,000 deaths/year in
Nepal attributed to IAP
Women’s Drudgery Traditional Poverty
•Drudgery on fuel wood •Waste of productive
Cooking Stove time
collection
•Vulnerable to health effects •Unnecessary
problem (women and expenditure on health
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children) remedies
 Emission measurement - Particulate Matter

WHO Air Quality Guidelines

Typical 24-hour 1minute kitchen concentrations of PM2.5 before and after installation of ICS
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 Emission measurement - Carbon Monoxide

Study on 2008 & 2009 indicated that IAP was reduced by 62%
(both PM & CO) with the use of ICS

Typical 24-hour 1minute kitchen concentrations of CO before and after installation of ICS
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 Current facts and challenges in ICS dissemination

• 75% of rural and peri-urban HHs depend on fuelwood

for cooking and heating.
• Around 3 million HHs still use traditional and inefficient
cooking stoves.
• Traditional Biomass fuel (esp. fuelwood, agro-residue)
are almost freely available…… adding challenge to
switch towards cleaner fuel and high tier stoves.
• Women’s Priority for Cookstove falls under 24th rank!
• Estimate on death due to IAP in Nepal:
• 22,800 deaths per year (latest estimate by IAP Health Forum
– Nepal, 2017)
• 8,700 deaths per year (WHO estimate for 2009)
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 List of various MSMEs having potential of using biomass combustion technology

Lapsi/ Candy
Dalmoth, Chips
Processing

Hard Cheese/
Tea Drying
Churpi production

Beverage (Distillery) Ginger Drying

Herbal plant /
Hotel and
essential oil
Restaurant
processing
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List of various MSMEs having potential of using biomass combustion technology

Allo, Heap, Banana,

Medical herbs
Argeli, Elaichi
Processing
Processing

Handmade Paper Dairy Industry

Alaichi
(Cardamom) Coffee Processing
Processing

Wool/ Thread
Bakery/ Bread
Dyeing
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 Alternative Energy Promotion Centre

Promoted
Bio-Energy
Technologies
Improved Cookstoves/
Combustion devices
Biogas
(HH and Institutional)

Biofuel Briquettes/ Pellets

Thermal / Electrical
PRShakyaSystems
Gasifier 8
• Policy level support for promotion
• Capacity building of producers (Local community,
Companies)
• Market identification / development
• Awareness generation
• Technology piloting
• Research, studies
• Disburse GoN Subsidy
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Improved Cooking Stoves (ICS)
Dissemination

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 GoN Subsidy Provision for ICS

• No direct subsidy will be provided for the promotion of

household mud improved cooking stoves
• Metallic Cooking and heating stoves: Up to 50% but not
exceeding Rs. 3,000 (1-2 pot stove) and Rs. 4,000 (3 pot
stove)
• Institutional stove: Rs.20,000 per stove (public school,
public hospital/health post, police and army barracks,
religious places and orphanage homes for cooking and
space heating purposes)
• Rocket cook stoves: Rs. 3,000 (rural and peri-urban areas)
• Gasifier system household cook stoves: Rs. 4,000 (rural and
peri-urban areas)
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Around 1.3 million ~6 GWh electrical energy
per day (assuming 2kWh
consumption for cooking
only by each HH/day)

Around 3 million

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 Intervention through ICS dissemination

ICS Growth Trend in Nepal

1,400,000 1,295,575

1,200,000
1,017,686
1,000,000 876,815

800,000 744,664
615,216
600,000 526,313
437,876
376,945
400,000 337,052
313,221
272,018

2015-2016 ->73,161
212,651
164,190
130,296
200,000 76,138
65,423
63,977 89,127
84,570
80,985 106,673
99,687
93,684 113,327
106,783
34,338
27,002
19,753 56,446
48,981
41,883
12,538
57 1145,918
-
1979-1980
1980-1981
1981-1982
1982-1983
1983-1984
1984-1985
1985-1986
1986-1987
1987-1988
1988-1989
1989-1990
1990-1991
1991-1992
1992-1993
1993-1994
1994-1995
1995-1996
1996-1997
1997-1998
1998-1999
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
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 Achievements made so far on biomass cookstove sector

• 1.3+ million mud improved cooking stoves has been

disseminated among rural household throughout the country
• 24,000 Metallic heating and cooking ICS has been
disseminated under subsidy scheme in high hills
• ~90,000+ Portable Metallic ICS disseminated among
Earthquake Victims’ households, Targeted Groups, Dalit and
Endangered Indigenous Communities
• Institutional ICS promoted at public institutions such as police
stations, schools, orphanage, religious places, old-age homes,
MSMEs, etc.
• 200+ IAP free VDCs declared
• 4000+ Stove masters/promoters trained.
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 Achievements made so far on biomass cookstove sector

• Formation of Nepal Alliance of Clean Cookstoves (NACC) in

leadership of AEPC with active involvement for the campaign of
Clean CCS4ALL which has been envisaged to attain by 2022 in
Biomass Energy Strategy 2017.
• IAP study done on 2008 & 2009. Further health impact study is
being carried out in four areas of Nepal by taking geographical
variations with piloting of tier-3 level stove continuous use
demonstration for six months and result will be compiled within the
year of 2018.
• Quality Assurance:
• Development of cookstove standard, NIBC 2014 updated to 2016 and
implemented successfully
• Cookstove testing lab at RETS strengthened in par with international
standard
• Close collaboration with NBSM for ISO standardization via ISO TC 285:
Clean Cookstoves and Clean Cooking Solution
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 Achievement in Solid Biomass Energy Sector
• Trainigs and Design of standard ICS & IICS:
• School Meal Programme
• MSMEs: Lokta factories, Pashmina Industries, Dyeing Industries etc.

• Local capacity development of portable metallic ICS

manufacturer for mass scale production with automation (1500
units per month).
• Casting parts for IICS non-local materials: mass production &
durability

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Testing Facilities Developed
Renewable Energy Test Station (RETS)
Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST)
Khumaltar, Lalitpur

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Field Testing

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Nepal Interim Benchmark for solid biomass Cookstoves
(NIBC, 2016)

** Fugitive emission value for chimney stoves.

Safety and Durability performance
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are also to be fulfilled
19
 Emerging Tiers System

ISO TC 285 – Voluntary performance targets – based on WHO values

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Options for addressing household cooking energy needs

Biogas

ICS

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The energy ladder: Energy & development linkage
Cooking options based on availability
and national resources

Scarcity Electricity

Cooking habit constraint Solar Electricity

Scarcity / Imported LPG

Site / livestock specific Biogas

Scarcity / Imported Kerosene

Biomass Briquettes/ Pellets Modern biomass solution

ICS Traditional biomass solution

The energy ladder: Energy & development linkage

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 New Biomass Energy Technologies and Biomass Energy Potential

Biomass Densification Biomass Gasification

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PRShakya 24
Traditional animal dung briquettes used as cooking fuel

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Distribution of Potential Biomass Resources in Nepal

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Source: Gasifier feasibility study report, VERDICT, 2011
 Potential Biomass Energy Resources availability for
modern biomass fuel production

Agro residues: (Husk, stalk, cob, straw)

Paddy, Maize, Millet, Wheat, Buckwheat, Barley, Oil
seed, Sugarcane, Jute, Soybean, Blackgram, Cotton,
Coconut, Ground nut. (Total: 28,994,000 MT)
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 Potential Biomass Energy Resources availability for
modern biomass fuel production

Industrial waste:
Saw dust, wood chips (TCN: average value 116,963
ft3) (Veneer industry: 758,440 tons per day ),

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 Potential Biomass Energy Resources availability for
modern biomass fuel production

Forest residue:
Twigs and branches (285 million cubic meters), pine needles
(4.5million tons), weeds/ invasive plants (banmara: 17 tons/ha
annually in E-W Highways only, banmasa, lantana camera, tite-
pati, besaram jhar, Mikania: 600,000 tons of dried Mikania in
20 Terai districts only, etc.), saal leaves(2,019,600 tons of leaf
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litter per year)
 Potential Biomass Energy Resources availability for
modern biomass fuel production

Municipal Solid Waste:

Paper, wood, textile (2813.13 tons per day by 58
municipalities)
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 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Densification is the general process of compressing the loose biomass to obtain
compact solid shape or form using pressure, heat, binder.

These technologies are also known as pelleting, briquetting, or agglomeration.

WHY DENSIFY BIOMASS?

1. Homogenize diverse biomass feedstocks into one form
• Reduce handling difficulties
• Convert multiple biomass materials into single, durable form
2. Increase energy density
• Higher energy density reduces transportation cost
• Reduce unneeded oxygen content in densified product
3. Improve storage stability and logistics of delivery
• Develop robust pelletization methods & reduce dust
• Reduce chemical activity
• Increase weather/ water resistance
• Address seasonality of some feedstocks
4. Seamlessly integrate densified biomass into coal gasification and combustion
• Infrastructure compatibility – “drop-in” replacement for fossil fuel
• Economy for utilisation
• Systematic benefits (e.g. reduce fossil carbon emissions)
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 Biomass Briquettes and Pellets

Carbonised Non Carbonised

High pressure
compression

Low pressure
compression
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 Some of the existing competitive briquette
industries in the market
Non-carbonised (high pressure compression) briquette manufacturers:
• Mhepi Briquette Udyog , Nawalparasi
• Shubha Biomass Pvt Ltd , Chitwan
• Jaibik Urja Nepal Company, Bhairawa
• Majgaon briquette Udyog , Lumbini
• Indira Sugar Mills, Nawalparasi
• Green City Briquette Udyog , Bhumisthali
• Namuna Briquette Industry , Chitwan
• Mahakali Sugar Mills, Dhangadi
•
•Currently, non carbonised briquettes are consumed at Hotels,
•
Annapurna Sugar Mills , Sarlahi
Batabaran Biofuel Pvt.Ltd, Chapali Bhadrakali
• Makalu Jadibuti Production Factory, Tankhuwa, Dhankuta
restaurants, industries for boilers etc.
• Green Biomass Industries, Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu
•
•Carbonised briquettes are used at HH for space heating and cooking,
•
Gorkha Energy & Environment Pvt Ltd, Gorkha
Universal Biomass Briquette, Katahari, Morang
• Others……
restaurants etc.
Non-carbonised (low pressure, waste biomass) briquette producer:
• Foundation of Sustainable Technology (FoST), Kathmandu
• Other local producers…..

Carbonised briquette manufacturers: (Beehive briquette)

• Himalayan Naturals Private Limited (HNPL), Kathmandu
• Jor Ganesh Bio-Briquette Udhyog, Sindhupalchowk
• Mahila Jagaran Samiti, Manmaiju, Kathmandu
• Other community based local producers…..
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 BIOMASS DENSIFICATION
Common use of Briquettes

Household / Institutional Sector Industrial Sector

Space heating Boilers /Furnace

Hot air generation/ Drying /

Cooking/ barbeque
processing

Alternative to fuelwood / loose

Blending / coal replacement
biomass

Electricity Generation &

cogeneration
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 Initiatives for promotion of Biomass Densified Fuel
(Briquetting) replacing coal and raw fuelwood use
• Demonstration on use of briquettes and charred biomass as
clean alternative fuel for Brick Kilns replacing coal.

Presently 800 brick kilns consume about 450,000 tons of

Coal costing 12 billion rupees annually

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 Initiatives for promotion of Biomass Densified Fuel
(Briquetting) replacing coal and raw fuelwood use
• Promotion of non-carbonized pellets (biomass based fuel) in
MSME sector via technical and market assessment in Nepal
(eg. Dyeing industries)

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Advantages on use of biomass fuel (Char, Briquette) in Brick
Kilns

• Reduction of dependency on imported Coal and its

associated quality concerns.
• Control of emission levels which is the major concern in
brick kilns (SPM, SOx, NOx, CO, CO2).
• Improve in quality of the brick.
• Economy in fuel cost (once effective biomass fuel supply
chain / market is developed).
• Health impact (reduced exposure to the emission for
workers and neighboring area),
• Socio-economic benefit (employment generation).

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 Initiatives for promotion of Biomass Fuel Densification
(Briquetting) technology by AEPC
• Recommendation for 1% custom duty charge on import of
biofuel producing machinery and parts.
• Training on production of briquettes at community level.
• Stakeholder /Demonstration workshops
• Study on Technical Parameters for Quality Assurance of
Biomass Briquettes.
• Studies related to potential and feasibility of Biomass
Briquette.
• Inventory of Biomass Briquetting in Nepal
• Support for biomass testing laboratory at RETS/NAST for
testing biomass stoves as well as biomass fuel.
• “Developing policy framework and business model to promote
sustainable use of biomass briquettes in Nepal” through CTCN
technical assistance
• Collaboration with relevant partners on dissemination.
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PRShakya 39
 GoN Subsidy Provision for Gasifier Systems
• Maximum subsidy amount of up to 50% of the plant cost
but not exceeding Rs. 150,000 will be provided to metallic
gasifier plant for thermal applications for agro-processing
by small, medium and cottage enterprises.
• Biomass electrification projects above 5 kW up to 100 kWp
in areas not connected through national grid or other
sources

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 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
What is Biomass Gasification?

• Gasification is essentially the

conversion of biomass to a
combustible gas (CO, H2 and
CH4) called “Producer Gas” or
“Syn Gas”

• This gas can then be burnt

directly for thermal application
or fed in Gas Engine Gensets to
produce electricity

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BIOMASS GASIFICATION

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Source: Basu, P., 2010
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Typical Producer Gas Properties
Particulars Rice Husk as biomass Woody Biomass
CO 15-20% 15-20%
H2 10-15% 15-20%
CH4 Upto 4% Upto 3%
N2 45-55% 45-50%
CO2 8-12% 8-12%
Gas C.V. in kcal/Nm3 Above 1050 Above 1100
Gas generated in 2 2.5
Nm3/Kg of biomass
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 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Feedstock
Wide range of biomass can be used as fuel for
gasifier including forest and agro-residues such
as:
• Wood Pieces, Chips and Woody Waste
• Rice Husk
TREES ARE NOT
• Coconut Shells THE SOURCE OF
• Mustard and Cotton Stalk FEEDSTOCK FOR
• Bamboo Pieces GASIFIERS
• Tea and Coffee Waste BUT
THE WOODY
• Corncob
BIOMASS RESIDUE
• Sugarcane baggasse AND
AGRICULTURAL
RESIDUES ARE !!!!!
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 BIOMASS GASIFICATION
Applications
Power Generation Thermal Applications

• Village Electrification • Hot Air Generators

• IrrigationCommercial
Pumping value for Byproducts of gasifier
• Dryers
• Captive1. Power
Char – Briquettes, Incense • making
Boilers
(Industries)
2. Ash – Fertilizer, fly ash in cement production
• Thermic Fluid
3. Tar
• Grid-fed – Cosmetic
Power from value, black topping
Heaters
Energy Plantations on • Ovens
Wastelands
• Furnaces & Kilns
• Simultaneous Charcoal
and Power
Production PRShakya 45
 BIOMASS GASIFICATION

Gasifier For Electrification

Gasifier for Thermal Energy

A typical configuration of a gasifier system coupled with internal combustion engines

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Estimated Potential of Biomass Energy in Nepal
from Various Biomass Sources
Potential
S.N Source of Biomass Capacity Remarks
(in MW)

1 Sustainable fuel wood 800 7.0 million t/year and 1.0 kg/kW

12 million t/year from five main

2 Agro residue 700 crop type and
2 Kg/kW
4.6 million t/year (28 kg/m3 &
3 Collectible dung 23
1.25 kW/m3)
Forest and other agro
4 To be assessed
residue

5 Biofuel To be assessed

Source: PRShakya 47
Gasifier-prefeasibility report, Winrock International, 2010
Biomass Thermal Gasifier based technologies piloted
under AEPC
• Hot air generation for tea and herbs drying

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• Gasifier based cardamom drying process

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Biomass Gasifier based technologies piloted at Rural Community for
electrification

Lamiduwali VDC

Madhubangoth VDC
Kanakpur VDC

Jagannathpursira VDC
Belwajabdi Village PRShakya 50
Some examples of installations by Private
Companies
• Bhudeo Khadya Udhyog, Lalbandi, 400 kWe
• Rajesh Metal Craft, Kathmandu, Nepal, 700 kWth & 500 kWe
• Hulas Steel Industries Ltd., Simara, Bara, Nepal, 800 kWth & 300 kWe
• Makwana Biscuit, Hetuda, Nepal, 250 kWth
• Kwality Diet and Food Products (P) Ltd. Dhubi, Nepal 600 kWth
• Hulas Steel Industries Ltd., Simara, Nepal, (550 x 2) 1100 kWth
• Hulas Wire Industries Ltd. Biratnagar, Nepal 600 kWth
• Dabur Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Bara, Nepal, 1200 kWth
• Rajesh Metal Crafts Ltd., Kathmandu, Nepal, 1200 kWth
• Pioneer Wires Limited, Biratnagar : 350 kWth
• Hulas Wire Industries Limited, Biratnagar, 500 kWth
• Mahalaxmi Silicate, Biratnagar 500 kWth
• Arihant Wires, Biratnagar 500PRShakya
kWth 51
 Biogas

Estimated Potential Basis Achievement So far

At existing livestock
1.1 million plants 400,000 + nos.
population

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 Composition of Biogas
Substances Symbol Percentage
Basic parts of Biogas Plant Methane CH4 50-70

Carbon dioxide CO2 30-40

Hydrogen H2 5-10

Water Vapor H2O (Vapor) 1-2

Nitrogen N2 0.3

Hydrogen Sulphide H2S Traces

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Biogas Dissemination in Nepal
\.

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 GoN Subsidy Provision for Biogas Plant

• Domestic
Biogas
Plant

• Waste to
Energy
based
Biogas
Plant
Small: 12.5-35 cum

Medium: >35-100 cum

Large: > 100 cum

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 Achievements in Domestic Biogas Sector
• 400,000+ domestic biogas installed so far (90+% are operational)
– >60 % in DAG household
– About 80% Toilet Attached (current trend)
– 1.9 million + rural population served
– USD 7.0 million CDM fund received
– 126+ private biogas companies created and active, 10,000+ employment
– Few women owned and managed biogas companies
– 17 appliances manufacturing workshops
– GGC 2047 (Nepali model)plant disseminated in 21 countries

• Trained more than 7,000 biogas technicians (mason, supervisors+)

• Two dedicated biogas credit funds established
• About 100,000 biogas plants from Loan
• Some 300 MFIs involved in financing
• 1 PREIP project for older plant rehabilitation and 2 rehabilitation for earthquake affected
plants are completed with support from KfW and DFID.
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 Innovative Interventions in large Biogas Sector (cases)

Envipower Plant, Bhairahawa 3750cum

Salient features
Daily Gas Output: 3750 m3 per day

Substrate Used: Mixed Substrate mainly press mud, chicken litter and cow
dung

End Use: Gas Bottling (1500 kg per day)

Plant approved cost : NPR 123 million (TRC approved cost)

Total Estimated Subsidy : NPR 49 million (including government matching)

SREP Eligible Subsidy : NPR 17.1 million

Organic Manure : 13 tons per day

Status: Commissioned and Operational

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 Biogas plant and other facilities

Organic Fertilizer
Raw Biogas Refinery

Bi- Methane Bottling Unit

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 Biofuel

Estimated Potential Achievement So far

Few Nurseries and small scale pilot

11,00,000 tons plants
focusing particularly on promotion of Jatropha
Curcas for the production of biodiesel

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 Existing Policies on RE Sector conducive for Biomass
Energy Sector

• Periodic Three year Plans

• Rural Energy Policy, 2006
• Climate Change Policy, 2011
• Renewable Energy Subsidy Policy, 2016
• Central Renewable Energy Fund
• Renewable Energy Subsidy Delivery Mechanism, 2016
• Financial Act, 2016 – Exemption of VAT & Custom Duty in RE
equipments/materials
• Biomass Energy Strategy, 2017
• Investment Prospectus for CCS4ALL: A Roadmap to National
Goal of Providing Clean Cooking Solutions for All

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Biomass Energy Strategy, 2017
Strategies:
1. To increase production of sustainable biomass energy by utilizing agriculture,
forest residues and organic wastes.
2. To contribute to increased access to clean cooking technologies to all Nepalese
households through the means of modern biomass energy.
3. To increase effectiveness and efficiency in the utilization and production of
biomass energy.
4. To partially substitute the utilization of diesel and petrol by bio-diesel and bio-
ethanol.

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Biomass Energy Strategy, 2017
Some Specific Targets (2030):
1. To generate electricity through the solid waste management in those
municipalities with garbage production of more than 1 tonne; and to generate
10 MW of electricity from bio-gasifier
2. To provide clean cooking technologies of at least tier -3 to all households
3. To install 600,000 domestic biogas plants using cattle dung.
4. To reach the annual production of 20,000 metric tonnes of pellets, briquettes by
enhancing the production capacity.
5. 10% of the total consumption of petrol and diesel consumed in Nepal will have
been replaced by biodiesel & bioethanol

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PRShakya 63