Punjab based plant generates electricity using paddy stubble

The SAEL Limited Biomass Plant, built near Hukumat Singh Wala village on Ferozepur Talwandi Road, is generating more than 1.5 lakh MW of electricity every year from two lakh tonnes of paddy straw produced in one lakh acres of land. 

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Ahuja Group Fuel Head said the plant uses stubble as fuel and collected two lakh tonnes of stubble within 45 days during the paddy harvesting season. 

The biggest challenge is the storage for which big tin sheds have been built. There is a whole process through which a plant generates 18 MW of electricity per hour and about 430MW in a day. For this, about 600 tonnes of stubble is used as fuel here every day, Ahuja said. 

"Due to this plant, we are not only helping reduce pollution here but also generating jobs for 2000 unemployed people," he said. 

There are four plants out of which three are functioning and one is getting ready soon, he added. 

Kulwant Kaur, a farmer said, "I have been working here for a year. We collect all the stubble and generate electricity. We have been well taken care of and paid for our jobs on time. This plant has given employment to many people." 

Arvind Bedi, a Comercial Head, said from cutting to taking stubbles in plants, all come under the commercial department. It is a whole long process for which workers engage in individual tasks. 

"Stubble reuse is not only a solution for reducing pollution but also an alternative replacement for coal that is why we are calling it waste to energy," Bedi said.