The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a notice clarifying the eligibility of power generated from the co-firing of biomass in thermal power plants as renewable energy.

The government has stated that the power generated from the co-firing of biomass in thermal power plants is renewable energy and is eligible for meeting the non-solar renewable purchase obligations (RPO).

Also, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has been requested to develop a procedure for quantifying the energy produced from biomass in biomass co-fired thermal power plants reliably and accurately.

The MNRE has further suggested that the procedure determined should have built-in transparency and accountability, including putting an obligation on thermal power generators to publish the amount of biomass used and the energy generated from biomass co-firing in the public domain.

Further, this procedure notified by the CERC would form the basis for respective state electricity regulatory commissions (SERCS) and other relevant agencies for computing the energy produced from biomass in biomass co-fired thermal power plants, and also for the determination of tariff.

Earlier this year, the ministry invited Expression of Interest to assess the potential of biomass power and bagasse cogeneration in India. In 2010-11, The Indian Institute of Science had conducted a study to assess the biomass power potential and estimated 18,000 MW to be the potential for biomass power in the country.

With India’s growth in the production of food grains, a new study has been announced. This study will assess the amount of power that can be generated through available surplus biomass and bagasse in the country. The potential for power generation through biomass and bagasse will be assessed separately.

The central government’s cabinet also approved the National Policy on Biofuels – 2018.

Another program to support the promotion of biomass-based cogeneration in sugar mills and other industries was also announced in May by MNRE’s biomass power division.