GS PAPER II: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Context: Ministry of Power decides to set up a National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants. It will also contribute in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)

Need:

• In order to address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble burning.
• To reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation
• To support the energy transition in the country and our targets to move towards cleaner energy sources.

Objectives of this Mission:

• To increase the level of co-firing from present 5% to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon neutral power generation from the thermal power plants.
• To take up R&D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets.
• To facilitate overcoming the constraints in supply chain of bio mass pellets and agro- residue and its transport upto to the power plants.
• To consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing.

The duration of proposed National Mission would be a minimum 5 years.

Biomass is also used to produce

• 2G biofuels that utilise surplus biomass and agricultural waste to produce Bioethanol.
• Biogas that is produced naturally through a process of anaerobic decomposition from waste/biomass sources like agriculture residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, municipal solid waste, sewage treatment plant waste, etc.

About National Clean Air Programme:

• It was launched to reduce particulate matter (PM) pollution by 20-30% in at least 102 cities by 2024.
• It is envisaged as a scheme to provide the States and the Centre with a framework to combat air pollution.
• 102 cities from 23 States and UTs have been chosen as non-attainment cities. With the exception of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, most of those chosen are tier two cities.
• Apart from experts from the industry and academia, the programme is expected to be a collaboration between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, NITI Aayog, and Central Pollution Control Board.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1721473

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