Power Generation Potential of Biomass Residue of Maize

Abstract

India is an agricultural country with a major share of rural population. It has still many remote villages without any electricity supply. This paper reports the experimental results of proximate analysis and calorific values of different components of maize crop residue. Its potential towards electricity generation and corresponding land requirement for plantation has also been calculated. The results show that approximately 1100 hectares of land are required to generate 20 MWh/day of electricity. The results are also compared with that of coal samples of six different local mines being used in thermal power plants. This comparison reveals that maize waste can be used to generate considerable amount of power output with negligible emission of suspended particulate matters. Its ash fusion temperatures are also experimentally found out and it is observed that it can be used safely up to a temperature of 8000C without any clinker formation in the boiler.