Aston University and the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi have secured a £3m grant to build bio-energy power plants, which will tackle energy poverty in rural India and promote renewable energy in the United Kingdom. The Research Councils UK Science Bridges funding award will allow the creation of two decentralised energy systems, based in West Bengal, India and Birmingham, UK.
Aston University's Biomass Team.
These combined heat and power plants will be powered by waste products derived from sewage, agricultural and municipal waste, and crops grown on marginal land. The fuel sources will be converted into bio-energy through the process of combustion and pyrolysis and have been carefully chosen to overcome the difficulties of competition with food resources, inherent in many existing biomass energy chains.
The three year project, co-funded by Research Council UK and the Indian Government, combines the expertise of Aston’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, the European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) based at Aston University and Aston Business School.
In India, the Aston University team will be working alongside the Indian Institute of Technology to tackle the problem of unreliable energy supplies through the creation of a ‘mini’ plant, which will be fuelled by local renewable and waste sources and solar-thermal energy. This will provide steam and refrigeration for food processing factories and with it create regular and reliable job opportunities for around 100 people.
In Birmingham, UK, a plant will contribute to the European Bioenergy Research Institute’s own heat and power supply. Based at Aston University, it will use biomass and waste products, such as wood, garden wastes and sewage sludge sourced from regional companies. The move will help the city of Birmingham meet its 2025 targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent.
In both cases, Aston Business School (ABS) academics will be creating a viable economic blueprint to ensure the long-term security of the projects.
Dr Philip Davies, Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering and Applied Science, who is already investigating alternative energy use in water scarce areas of India, said, ‘If we can bring renewable and sustainable energy supplies to areas of rural India we can help people escape from a cycle of poverty. Most India farmers are small holders with limited technology for processing and preserving food. Reliable energy systems are needed to power such technologies and at the same time create employment. We’re also keen to show the UK market how we can provide modern energy services which reduce waste and significantly reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.’
Professor of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at Aston and Head of EBRI, Andreas Hornung, said, ‘ Working with the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi we aim to implement bioenergy systems that are efficient and low-emission over the whole life cycle, not just at the point of use. To achieve these goals we will be focusing on a range of potential fuel sources, based on the resources and waste products unique to each particular region. These have been carefully chosen to overcome the difficulties of competition with food resources, inherent in many existing biomass energy chains.
‘Our systems will use direct combustion or converted fuels, to take advantage of the unique pyrolysis technology developed at Aston and the experience in steam and solar-thermal systems developed by the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi.’
Dr Prasanta Day, Reader at ABS comments, ‘This project will help to develop a holistic business model for effective management of projects and operations across the bio-energy industry. It will create a wealth of ecological and economic benefits along the entire bio-mass chain, and will offer valuable new research in an evolving industry.
Professor Pawan Budhwar also from ABS adds, ‘In India, in particular, we believe creating sustainable rural development and encouraging entrepreneurialism will be key benefits of the project.’
The team aims to provide a technological and business blueprint for renewably powered combined heat and power boilers, which can be replicated throughout the UK and India.