Indian farmers set fire to their fields every autumn. The straw must be burned so that farmers can quickly re-sow paddy and cereals.
At the same time, they are close-knit and broody. Smog creeps up from the surrounding fields and settles like a blanket of ash over major cities. It causes itching in the lungs and stinging in the eyes.
Headache, cough, bronchitis and cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills 7 million people worldwide annually.
Straw burning is one of the main reasons why New Delhi is the capital city with the worst air quality in the world.
studies Air pollution has shown that life expectancy in the region is reduced by up to ten years.
Burning degrades soil quality, so farmers must use more chemicals, which can have negative health effects.
Bad air: Burning of hay in fields is one of the main causes of severe air pollution in many Indian cities.
Photo: Norfund
Clean air
But now the air will be cleaner in North India. Instead of burning hay, farmers are paid to supply hay bales to a biomass power plant.
Straw is burned in power plants that produce steam, which is converted into electricity. It can replace coal power.
Local pollution is reduced because particulates from combustion are captured at the power plant.
Also released is part of the carbon cycle. It is released anyway when hay rots or is burned in fields.
Government of Norway Climate Investment FundAdministered by NorwayHelps make it all possible.
Meters of hay bales are waiting to be burned at power plants
Photo: Norfund
Indian worker loading hay bales.
Photo: Norfund
Tractors come to the bio-power plant with huge loads of hay.
Photo: Norfund
Biomass power plants burn straw to generate electricity.
Photo: Norfund
An investment of NOK 600 million is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 2.8 million tons annually based on the current energy mix. This corresponds to 3 percent of Norway’s annual emissions. Norfund reports in a press release.
Income to 100,000 farmers
Today, we already offer approx. 15,000 farmers hay for projects in Punjab and Haryana. 20,000 farmers are involved in the projects being built in Rajasthan.
About the company SAIL Ltd. is succeeding in its plans, they estimate that 100,000 farmers will be involved in 5 years.
Satisfaction: Norfund estimates that 100,000 farmers could earn additional income by providing hay instead of burning in their fields.
Photo: Norfund
– By collecting straw and using it as fuel in our bio power plants, we are helping to fight one of the country’s biggest health problems. At the same time, we create local employment and additional income for farmers and local entrepreneurs. The partnership with Norfund will accelerate the implementation of these projects.
says Jasbir Awla, Chairman and CEO of SAEL.
And renewable
SAEL already has five power plants (80MW) i Surgery, and six more (90 MW) UUnder construction. They are also implementing several solar energy projects.
Norfund’s investment will finance the development of an additional 100 MW of bioenergy and 400 MW of solar power each year for the next five years.
It is India Coal is the world’s second largest producer of energyAnd the country has the world’s largest growth in energy demand.
Bad view: As farmers in India burn their fields, the air quality in the surrounding areas is very poor.
Photo: Norfund
India has already launched plans to have half of the country’s energy from renewables by 2030, and the world is fully counting on the country to succeed in meeting global climate goals.
However, calculations show that Coal consumption in India is reported to be increasing by 8 percent Reuters.
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