Confirmation of technical feasibility and efficacy of using bamboo and bamboo processing waste in gasifiers to generate producer gas

with a high fuel value

Gasification of bamboo/ bamboo waste for electricity/ thermal applications

Stabilised to 1 Mwe level 15% charcoal as by-product to meet rural fuel needs For off-grid, remote area, captive & flowering areas Clean, cheap & renewable source of energy Quality, species, maturity not an issue Confirmatory testing, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, utilising bamboo and bamboo dust from the North East has validated the viability of the technology and the process. It is particularly suitable for off-grid and remote locations, to meet domestic, small industry and utility needs, and for

Bamboo based gasifiers for generation of power/ thermal energy offer exciting prospects for value addition and utilisation for bamboo resources. The technology has been developed, tested and stabilised and is now available for large scale induction, suitable for application in the 25Kw to 1Mw range.

local area distribution systems. Gasification of bamboo can meet differentiated scales of energy needs, especially in the North East, and in other bamboo growing areas, to secure clean, cheap and high quality energy from renewable resources in a cost effective manner. Such locations could be also in the States where large scale gregarious flowering (Melaconna bambuisoides) will take place in the period 2004 07. Alternatively, remote locations with local surpluses of bamboo could be considered for demonstrative projects. The requirements for the gasification units are a small proportion of the total availability. A 100 Kw gasifier would require only about 1000 tonnes per annum, the equivalent of a truckload every three days on the average. An added advantage of gasification of bamboo is that 15% of the biomass would also be available as a by-product in the form of high grade charcoal. In the case of a 100 Kwe gasifier, around 135 tonnes of charcoal would be available each year to meet local needs of fuel. NMBA support packages are predicated on technological services from the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore. We believe that the technology, its dissemination and commercialisation offers opportunities to: 1. demonstrate commitment to clean and cheap energy, and

2. 3. 4.

substitute the use of fossil fuels with a highly renewable natural resource; secure assured power at lower rates than that provided by grid linkage or by the use of DG sets; provide charcoal and surplus power to local communities; and pioneer a potentially major industrial usage of a natural and highly renewable resource.

Process and Application of Vermi Composting

A bamboo plantation can produce an extraordinary amount of leaf litter, upto 8-9 tonnes per hectare for some species. Leaf fall is significant from the second year onwards, even before rhizome and clump maturity. This provides a unique opportunity to produce vermi-compost, and to The process can produce organic manure for the plantation, which will not only raise productivity but also increase the fertility of soil. Surpluses for sale can add to income from the plantation, and infact realise income from the plantation, from the second year onwards. The necessary condition for the process is that it should be done in shade of trees, as the earthworms require temperature less then 35C to survive. The process has following steps1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Preparation of raised beds (width may be 1 meter or more) Place polythene over it (to avoid roots of the trees not to entangled in the beds) Make 4 layers of Agriculture waste and Cattle dung alternatively with a part ratio of 7:3 (base layer is of agriwaste next layer is dung and so forth) Place compost earthworm (Red earth worm - Eisenia foetida) upon the top layer Put some water on it. Thereafter, water should be poured on regular basis to maintain certain level of humidity To maintain humidity, put wheat/rice husk on top of the beds. The cost of production is 70 quintals/Rs.1000 i.e. approx. Rs.1/Kg., which includes all the cost (cost of dung + cost of labor + worms cost + cost of dung etc.) The total cycle of production in summer and winter are 60 days and 100-110 days respectively. Preparation of raised beds (width may be 1 meter or more) Place polythene over it (to avoid roots of the trees to entangled in the beds)

Make 4 layers of Agriculture waste and Cattle dung alternatively with a part ratio of 7:3 (base layer is of agri-waste next layer is dung and so forth) Place (Eisenia foetida) earth worm on the top layer

To maintain humidity, put wheat/rice husk on top of the beds.

The necessary condition for the process is that it should be done in shades of trees, as the earthworms requires temperature less then 35C to survive

The cost of production is Rs.1000/70 quintals i.e. approx. Rs.1/Kg., which includes all costs (cost of dung + cost of labor + worms cost + cost of husk etc.)

The total cycle of production in summer and winter are 60 days and 100-110 days respectively.

Website: www.merinoindia.com

Economics of carrying out plantation of bamboo: A case study on cultivation of Dendrocalamus asper. Merino Century Laminating Co. Ltd., Village Achheja, P.O. Hapur 245101. Distt. Ghaziabad (UP). Shri Prakash Lohia, Managing Director
Economy of Bamboo plantation : Agro Forestry model with vermicompost Executive Summary: There is an increasing thrust in applications of bamboo and concomitantly the requirement for quality bamboo is increasing. With support from the NMBA, some institutions have embarked upon plantation practices with more rewarding methodologies of cultivation. Merino Farm at Garh Mukteshwar in the Dist Ghaziabad of Uttar Pradesh is one such agency which has carried out the Bamboo plantation activity in a scientific manner. The agency is in its seventh year of operation, and has come out with satisfactory performance results for bamboo plantation. The species undertaken by them is Dendrocalamus asper. The economy of its performance is presented herewith. Economy of Bamboo plantation : Agro Forestry model with vermicompost at Merino Farm, Garh Mukteshwar, Dist Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Year of plantation Species Spacing from plant to plant Area of plantation No. of clumps Exp incurred till date (including interest rate 15%) Harvesting Results Year of Harvest Jan-06 No. of culms 12274 Wt. of culms 45856 Kgs Gross Revenue Rs. 99614 Harvesting Exp Rs. 10528 Transportation Rs. 5419 Total expenditure Rs. 15947 Net Revenue Rs. 83667 Some ratios Per culm Per clump 16 3.74 59.09 8.12 128 0 0 0 0 1.30 21 6.82 108 Per Acre 3069 11464 24904 0 0 3987 20917 Per Kg 2.17 0.23 0.12 0.35 1.82

Oct 2000 Dendrocalamus asper 5m x 5m 4 acres 776 Rs. 192000

Vermicompost
Total production Gross revenue Expenditure Net Revenue

Total 370 M.T./Yr 740000 488400 251600 Rs/Yr

Per Acre 92.5 185000 122100 62900 MT/year Rs/Year Rs/Year Rs/Year

Net Results Up to 6th Year

Profit Bamboo Profit Vermi Total Less-Exp till date Net Profit

Total Rs. 83667 Rs. 251600 Rs. 335267 Rs. 192000 Rs. 143267 Total Rs. 335267

Per Acre Rs. 20917 Rs. 62900 Rs. 83817 Rs. 48000 Rs. 35817 Per Acre Rs. 83817

Profit 7th year onwards

Website: www.merinoindia.com

Commercial bamboo farming started in Jorhat

From A Correspondent JORHAT, Aug 2 Farmers in four development blocks here will have access to advanced technology in the cultivation of improved varieties of two indigenous species of bamboo bhaluka (Bamboosa balcooa) and jati (Bamboosa tulda) in their fields. The Jorhat district administration is executing an ambitious scheme to promote the commercial growing and harvest of bamboo at Koliapani, Selenghat, Baghchung and Titabor blocks within the district. The New Delhi-based National Mission of Bamboo Applications (NMBA) is sponsoring the project, which has been envisaged by retired professor of the Assam Agricultural University Dr Tapan Dutta. Dr Dutta is also the agricultural adviser (honorary) to the Assam Chief Minister. The funds to the tune of Rs 5.90 lakh are being released in phases. An amount of Rs 1.62 lakh had been earmarked for training alone for both experts associated with the bamboo cultivation project and farmers. During the first year of its implementation in 2006-07, three training sessions and a seminar were held. The purpose of the training was to expose the farmers and self-help groups to the various details relating to the commercial cultivation of bamboo through intensive management regimes, Jorhat District Agricultural Officer Ajit Sarmah, who is the nodal officer for the project, said. He claimed that the bamboo cultivation project under implementation was the first of its kind in Assam involving the direct participation of the government machinery. Spelling out the objectives for undertaking the project, Sarmah pointed out that it was aimed at promoting bamboo cultivation in a professional manner on one hand and giving a thrust to the bamboo-based industries on the other. We will provide bamboo cuttings developed at the Sotai-based Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI) and fertilizers to the farmers, he said, adding that there would be incentives for setting up vermi-compost units in the project area, too. As of now, the bamboo will be planted in 20 hectares of land. The RFRI is collaborating in the project by providing technical support and imparting training to officials of the Agriculture and Soil Conservation departments, personnel of the District Rural Development Agency, scientists of the Assam Agricultural University, members of self-help groups and farmers who are involved in the bamboo cultivation project. As bamboo is a fast-growing woody grass and has 1,500 well-documented uses, its cultivation may yield handsome profits to the farmers from the third year of growing itself, the Jorhat DAO stressed. The use of advanced technologies will lead to a greater output, thereby improving the financial benefits which will accrue to the farmers going for the cultivation and other entrepreneurs, Sarmah added. The NMBA-aided bamboo project here will, hopefully, usher in economic development of the rural areas by throwing up avenues for exploring the full commercial potential of bamboo, regarded as the green gold of the forest, the Jorhat DAO summed up. The bamboo cultivation project is slated for completion in 2008. Jorhat Deputy Commissioner LS Changsan is the chairperson of the implementation committee formed for monitoring the progress of the project.