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.