Biomass / Waste-to-Energy

Biomass/Waste to Energy has been recognized as a clean, reliable,

renewable source of energy. Unfortunately in Pakistan this source of
energy has not been utilized for power generation in the past. The
growing urbanization and changes in the pattern of life has given rise to
generation of increasing quantities of wastes and it’s now becoming
another threat to our environment. However, in recent years, waste-to-
energy technologies have been developed to produce clean energy
through the combustion of municipal solid waste in specially designed
power plants equipped with the most modern pollution control
equipment to clean emissions. Biomass and waste to energy plants are
used not only to generate sufficient power but also used to cleanup the
environment as well by conserving non-renewable fossil fuel resources
and reducing the environmental impacts of trash disposal. Biomass and
waste-to-energy facilities can also contribute to the country’s economy
by providing jobs apart from generating electricity.

Biogas:

Biogas, one of the most significant types of biomass energy, makes

optimal utilization of the valuable natural resource of dung. It provides
(soot-free) clean gas for meeting cooking and energy needs as well as
enriched bio-fertilizer for improvement of fertility/ productivity of
agricultural lands. Promotion of the biogas technology seems to be one
of the best options, which cannot only partially offset the fossil fuel from
wood consumption but also facilitates recycling of agro-animal residues
as a bio-fertilizer. Moreover, being clean and renewable, it will also
contribute towards environment protection, sustenance of ecosystem and
conservation of biodiversity.

Biogas has proved to be a viable technology in the physical and socio-

economic conditions. Pakistan is rich in Biogas potential, the technology
provides nearly three times more useful energy than that dung directly
burnt, and also produces nutrient-rich manure. Besides production of
Biogas, the Biogas Plants can result in improving economic and
financial conditions at micro as well as macro level and abating emission
of greenhouse gases that has been polluting the environment due to its
direct exposure.

Some waste treatment methods / technologies used to produce gas &

electricity are indicated below:

 Through Gasification; electricity can be produced from hot gases.

 Through Anaerobic Digestion; ggas can be extracted from the
waste and can be used for the power generation purposes.
 Converting the waste into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF).
 Through Plasma technology; electricity can be produced.

Technological Benefits:

i) Biomass and waste to energy plants conserve fossil fuels by

generating electricity. one ton of MSW combusted reduces oil use by
about 45 gallons; or coal use by about 0.28 tons.

ii) It has been estimated that one ton of MSW combusted rather than
land filled reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 tons of carbon
dioxide.

iii)Biomass and waste to energy plants do not have the aqueous

emissions that may be experienced in landfills, either now or in the
distant future.

iv)4. Biomass and waste to energy plants save the space required for
land filling.

Environmental Benefits:
Biomass/Waste to Energy projects have the benefits over conventional
energy resources projects that they do not emit any effluents, pollutants
and residues. These are considered to be most environmental friendly
technologies which are very much supportive in reducing emissions and
developing healthy environment. All over the world, renewable energy
projects have been implemented to avoid dependency over the
conventional resources which have been a source of effluent emissions
and endangering the environment. The international organizations and
institutes including financing organization have been encouraging such
projects which utilize renewable energy technologies for the generation
of power.

Current Status

AEDB (Alternative Energy Development Board )is actively facilitating

public/private sector organizations for establishing and promoting
biomass/waste to energy projects in Pakistan as one window facility.

AEDB is developing national strategy, policies and plans for the

utilization of biomass/waste to energy resources to achieve targets
approved by Federal Government.

12 MW Biomass to Energy Power Plant at Jhang, Punjab.

AEDB issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to set up a 12-MW biomass to

energy power plant at Jhang based exclusively on agricultural waste
(cotton stalk, rice husk, sugarcane trash, bagasse, wheat chaff and other
crops as multi-fuel sources). The plant would need about 90-110
thousands of tons of biomass fuel at 70-80 percent plant load factor in a
year. Biomass supply agreement and logistic / shipping agreement with
rice and sugar factories will be made with factories which are in the
vicinity of the proposed plant site. The proposed plant will burn biomass
as primary fuel whereas startup fuel will be RFO or diesel and the
backup fuel would be coal.

The project is sponsored by Lumen Energia Pvt Ltd. The total cost of the
proposed project has been estimated to be U.S $ 14.38 Million on debt /
equity ratio of 80:20 and the company is looking forward to take loan
from State Bank of Pakistan under their “Scheme for Financing Power
Plants using Renewable Energy”.
Generation License has been issued and a 30 years levelized tariff of US
Cents 13.3573/KWH discounted at 10% per annum at reference
exchange rate of 1US$=Rupees 86.00/- has been announced.

12 MW Biomass to Energy Power Plant at MirwahGorchani Town,

Mirpurkhas, Sindh.

AEDB has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to set up a 12-MW biomass to

energy power plant in Sindh based exclusively on agricultural waste.
The project is jointly sponsored by investors from US and local
entrepreneurs the SSJD Bioenergy.Generation License has been
issued&a 30 years levelized tariff of US Cents 13.0511/KWH
discounted at 10% per annum at reference exchange rate of
1US$=Rupees 86.00/- has been announced.

LoI issued to Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Ltd. For Setting Up to 09 MW

Biogas Power Plant at Pak Ethanol, Matli, Sindh.

AEDB has issued a letter of intent to M/s Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Ltd. to set
up a 09 MW biogas power project at Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Ltd, Matli,
Sindh.

Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Ltd is an ethanol distillery based on sugar molasses

using state of the art technology to recover Biogas from Spent wash of
distillery having a recovery of more than 80%. The recovered biogas
will be used in gas engines having one of the best thermal efficiencies.
In addition, the power generation capacity of 09MW, the plant will also
produce steam & chilled water which will be utilized within the
distillery to further improve the efficiencies.

LoI Issued to M/S Biomass Power Generation Ltd for Setting Up 12

MW Biomass to Energy Project at Faisalabad, Punjab.
M/s Masood Textile Mills have been issued a letter of Intent by AEDB
to setup 12 MW Biomass to power generation project at Faisalabad. The
company has created a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in the name of
M/s Biomass Power Generation Limited. All generated electricity will
be added in the national grid and there will be no captive use.

LoI Issued to M/S Greensure Environmental Solutions (Pvt) Ltd for

Setting Up 12 MW Waste to Energy Project at Mardan, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa.

M/s Greensure Environmental Solutions have been issued a LoI to setup

a 12 MW Waste to Energy Power Plant at Mardan. The company has
signed a MoU with TMA, Mardan for the collection and delivery of
municipal waste at the plant site.