A Polygeneration Process Concept for Hybrid Solar and Biomass Power Plant

Chapter 3Resource Assessment of Solar and Biomass for Hybrid Thermal Power Plant

Biomass energy has provided sustenance to mankind through the ages and os attracting greater attention for power generation in India. The government of India recognized the potential role of biomass power generation in the Indian economy quite early and has since been the vanguard of its promotion. If it is used as much as it is produced, its benefits include its wide availability, carbon neutrality, and the potential to provide large productive employment in rural areas. As a further outcome of the carefully planned mix of policy and financial incentives introduced by the government of India, capacity has been built up in the country for biomass power technologies, their operation, and maintenance. The availability of crop residues like bagasse, rice husk, coconut shells, and wood processing wastes inherently limits the growth of the capacity of biomass power generation [1]. One of the major barriers confronted the biomass power plants is a secured supply of required quality and quantity of materials at a competitive price for sustainable operation of plants. The price of biomass resources has slowly increased due to non-availability of biomass resources at the right price in recent years [2].

On the other hand, STPP do not continuously generate power due to daily and seasonal variations and a low level of direct normal irradiance in most places in the country. Although STPP with storage is one ...