NTPC has achieved 20 per cent co-firing of torrefied biomass at its unit 4 at Tanda in Uttar Pradesh. NTPC had previously implemented co-firing with 7 per cent to 10 per cent non-torrefied biomass and coal at NTPC Dadri. However, to achieve higher biomass co-firing ratios without extensive modifications, NTPC Engineering’s Energy Transition and Policy Research Division investigated the potential of using torrefied biomass.
Overall, NTPC has assigned 5.2 million metric tons of biomass pellets to 20 of its stations and one joint venture, APCPL-Jhajjar. To date, a total of 254,063 metric tons of biomass pellets have been co-fired across 13 NTPC stations and two joint ventures, APCPL-Jhajjar and NSPCL Bhilai. Furthermore, NTPC is constructing biomass pellet plants at a number of locations to raise awareness about the production of biomass pellets from agricultural residue. These include a 22 tonnes per day (TPD) non-torrefied pellet plant at Lehra Mohabbat, Bhatinda, a 100 TPD torrefied and 100 TPD non-torrefied pellet plant at APCPL-Jhajjar, and a 50 TPD non-torrefied pellet plant at NCPS-Dadri. The biomass pellets generated at these plants will be used for co-firing in thermal power stations.