Potential of thermoelectric power from bagasse by sugar mills of Pakistan

Potential of thermoelectric power from bagasse by sugar mills of Pakistan was studied to explore whether a significant quantity of electricity could be produced from the biomass of this waste left as surplus after its use to fulfill mill's in-house requirements. The data concerning the production and disposal of bagasse and indigenous production of electricity for mill use by its incineration were collected from 8 sugar mills as models through successive visits/telephones and interviews of managements. The data from some mills were also collected via e-mail and telephone. The production data at Pakistan level was collected from Pakistan Sugar Mills Association by interviewing its office holders. The results indicated that there is a significant potential of production of thermoelectric power from biomass of bagasse surplus in sugar mills. Assuming that the mills run twenty four hourly for 100 days a year, the total production of bagasse on the basis of cane crushed in 2008–09 was 17,835,000/m ton per annum or 7,431 m ton per hour. When averaged on the basis of the cane crushed over the last three years, it turned out to be 16,603,370 m ton per annum and 6,918 m ton per hour and if on recent five years, it come out to be 13,569,180 m ton per annum and 5,654 m ton per hour. The electricity produced for these three scenarios would be 1,304mw/hr, 1,236mw/hr and 992mw/hr. The current production of electricity by sugar mills on the basis of average from models is 478mw/hr. Thus there is an extra potential of production of electricity by sugar mills 826 mw/hr, 736mw/hr and 514mw/hr in these scenarios. The interviewees also claimed that there was a potential of production of electricity amounting to 1,600mw/hr by sugar mills of Pakistan from molasses a by-product of sugar industry through biogas technology. This leads to an overall potential of 2,426mw/hr, 2,336mw/hr and 2114mw/hr respectively. The results look quite encouraging as these can be used in policy framework to be developed for controlling energy crises in Pakistan and can be reproduced all over the globe to help in overcoming energy crises at large.