Background

As the Indian economy grows there is increasing demand for electricity from both industry and domestic consumers. Deep in India’s Punjab region one company is now using a renewable generation method to meet this demand. ClimateCare works in partnership with the Nahar Spinning Mill, which specialises in grey fabrics supplied to some popular Western high street brands.

Nahar is situated in a rice growing area with an abundance of unwanted rice husk waste produced during the rice milling process.


The project

Using the locally sourced rice husk, which would otherwise be left as waste, the Nahar Spinning Mill can now convert this waste biomass to meet all its energy requirements. Prior to this, Nahar’s operations were very carbon intensive with its electricity requirements being met via fossil-fuelled grid energy and steam generated from fuel oil.

The project has involved the installation of a 5 MW rice husk-fired boiler, designed to burn 100% rice husk waste to generate clean renewable electricity and steam. Carbon finance has allowed this opportunity to flourish at Nahar. This is a flagship project and many more factories in the Punjab region are likely to consider using rice waste to generate sustainable power for their operations. Photo: a rice husk waste used to feed the new boiler - Adeel Halim.

Benefits beyond emissions

Social: Higher value jobs have been created within the new power plant, whilst income generation has increased amongst local farmers; they can now sell their seasonal waste products to the plant. Nahar Mill also has a strong corporate social responsibility policy and has worked with the local community to provide new medical services, improved local amenities, materials for schools, mitigation measures for flood defence and awareness programs on energy efficiency.

Economic: By generating its own electricity and steam the factory has reduced its running costs as well as reducing its exposure to increasing electricity and fuel oil prices.

Environmental: The project leads to a reduction in the demand for carbon intensive energy resources resulting in greenhouse gas emission reductions and a reduction in other pollutants such as SO2 and soot.


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