Speeches & Articles

REMARKS OF U.S. CONSUL GENERAL HENRY V. JARDINE
at the inauguration of the micro-turbine project in Purulia

October, 30  2006

Honorable Minister for Power and Non-Conventional Energy
Mr. Mrinal Bandyopadhyay,
Principal Secretary Department of Power Mr. Sunil Mitra,
WBREDA Director Mr. S.P. Gon Choudhury,

Distinguished Guests,

I am happy to be in Purulia today to mark the inauguration of the Micro turbine project.   Purulia district – in its present form -- came into being on November 1, 1956.  On the eve of the golden jubilee of its existence, this micro-turbine project comes as a fitting gift to the people of this district.

Micro turbine technology is an efficient, compact, ultra-low-emission way to produce electricity and heat for combined applications.  The U.S. Asia Environmental Partnership Program (US-AEP) in Calcutta initiated a project in December 2003 in collaboration with West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency of West Bengal on “introduction of micro turbine technology as a clean, climate friendly and decentralized energy generation option for India.”  Through a structured approach, the project moved from USAEP funded pre-feasibility study in early 2004 to orientation programs and study tours from project proposal formulation to the actual technology import and project demonstration.  The demonstration project cost approximately $300,000, out of which USAID + US-AEP funding support was around $ 65,000.  In addition, USAID/India’s GEP project provided technical support and coordination.

USAEP pursued the mission of a pilot project in India involving micro turbine (MT) technology from U.S., based on its firm conviction that this technology coupled with biogas can be a very good answer to India’s quest for decentralized energy generation to make power available to the 94,000 remote non-electrified villages.  MTs are small power generating systems that produce between 25-500 KW of power (30-75 KW sizes are in commercial use now).  Advantages of MTs over reciprocating engines include high energy efficiency, low emissions, superior electrical power quality, flexible operation, ability to take waste and bio gas as fuel, low maintenance, competitive capital costs, low payback period and low noise.  Very few, highly-specialized companies, mostly in the U.S., manufacture this kind of turbine.  Government of India has taken a policy target for electrifying all villages by 2007 (end of 10th Plan) and covering all households by 2012.  To meet the target, at least 18,000 remote area villages are to be covered through use of non-conventional energy technologies.  There are seven groups of rural industries, all needing power between 30-70 KW.  If power is available in the villages, agricultural labor can be shifted to non-farm agro-based economic activities. 

The US-AEP saw a specific opportunity to link up the huge availability of biomass and the successful cow manure based biogas generation program in India with the new generation energy devices like MT on a win-win platform.  Capstone of California was identified as the leading technology supplier and the project partner.  Founded in 1988, Capstone is a leading U.S. producer of MT power systems, with three million hours of successful MT operation experience.

The commissioning of this project signifies the importance of cooperation between public-private partnership and will serve as the first stepping stone to further deployments, particularly in converting waste gases in India into renewable energy.  Mohan Dairy will use the thermal energy and about one-third of the electricity produced by the pair of micro turbines. The remaining electricity will be distributed via a micro grid to the villagers whose lives will improve considerably.

The ultimate benefit of micro turbine technology will be realized when they are able to operate in a stand-alone mode and provide electricity to villagers.  In rural India only 20% of households have access to electricity.  Decentralized energy projects such as biogas-based power generation are options that can help such areas.

Biomass such as firewood, agricultural residue, bagasse, crop stalks, rice husks, coconut shells, animal dung and waste from agro-based industries can be used to produce power.  Direct burning of such waste is inefficient and leads to pollution.  When combusted in a gasifier at low oxygen and high temperature, biomass can be converted into a gaseous fuel known as producer gas. This gas has a lower calorific value compared to natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas, but can be burned with high efficiency and without emitting smoke.   I understand that India produces an estimated 600 million tons of agricultural residue every year.  If all of this waste is gasified, it can produce 79,000 megawatts of power—about 63% of the total power available in the country from all sources.  To meet the energy needs of the people as also generate employment, it is possible to set up biomass based power plants of 10 to 20 megawatts in every taluka (a block of about 100 villages).

Like wind and solar power, power availability from biomass is dependent on consistent access to the quantity and quality required to run a plant.  Due to harvesting cycles this may be possible throughout the year.  Since availability of power from each of the major renewable sources is dependent on several factors, scientists are exploring the possibilities of using them in combination.  The U.S. based General Electric (GE) is working on an integrated hybrid technology model, which combines various forms of renewable energy and provides customized power solutions based on the availability of local fuel sources.

In April 2006, a new initiative was launched by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote renewable technologies in India where it plans to contribute $600,000 with additional funding by U.S. based companies like the GE.  The objective of this initiative is to implement and integrate renewable energy sources in India’s overall energy policies.

The U.S. Government’s engagement with India with regard to energy is based on the India-U.S. Energy Dialogue launched on May 31, 2005.  This initiative is aimed at increased India-U.S. trade and investment in the Indian energy sector by working with the public and private sectors to further identify areas of cooperation and collaboration and build on the broad range of existing cooperation between India and the United States to mobilize secure, clean. reliable and affordable sources of energy, focusing on (i) oil and natural gas (ii) coal (iii) power and energy efficiency, and (iv) new technologies and renewable Energy and
(v) civil nuclear energy.  In the area of New Technology & Renewable Energy, a delegation from India led by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources will visit the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) this year to explore co-operation with the USA in (ii) standards and testing of solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, (ii) development of concentrating collectors, and (iii) energy efficient buildings. 

It is, therefore, in this broad context that today’s micro turbine project is a just beginning which hopefully will be followed up by a number of such innovative projects in the days to come.  We in the U.S. Consulate in Calcutta will seek to foster more such initiatives to create a bright future for West Bengal and the other states of this region.

Thank you.