Electricity Generation Potential Through Solar-Rice Husk Hybrid Power Plant in Nepal and Its Major Paddy Producing Districts

Abstract

Nepal is an agricultural based country having huge potential of rice husk. Out of total electrical energy consumption in Nepal, 22%, 34.76% and 36.58% were imported from India in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively. Such import can be minimized by generating electricity from solar-rice husk hybrid system. Solar plants have drawbacks of intermittency in day/night cycle and reduced irradiation in winter and cloudy days. Biomass plants have problem associated with continuous supply of seasonal fuel. Those problems can be solved using hybrid system by maximizing the energy potential of these resources, increasing process efficiency, providing greater security of supply and reducing overall cost. The objective of this paper is to estimate electricity generation potential through solar- rice husk hybrid power plant in Nepal and its major paddy producing districts through existing data and forecasting the same for future potential. From existing data, the rice husk growth rate in Nepal was found to be 2.92% and on the basis of that growth rate, future potentials were forecasted. The 20 major paddy producing districts were taken into consideration as 71.15% of total paddy production of Nepal was found to be shared by those districts. The quantity of rice husk was found assuming 20% of paddy converted into rice husk in the mills. The rice husk consumption for cattle feeding was assumed 10% of total rice husk. The electric power from rice husk was calculated assuming 1.3 kg consumption of rice husk for per kWh generation of electricity through steam route and 1.86 kg of rice husk consumption for per kWh electricity generation through gasification route. The average increase rate of land for paddy production and the average increase rate of rice husk production were found to be 0.39% and 2.92% respectively. The electrical energy potentials of Nepal for the years 2015 and 2030 with solar-rice husk hybrid power plant through steam route were found as 100.67 MW and 155.02 MW respectively and through gasification route 70.36 MW and 108.35 MW respectively. The electrical potential for Jhapa district was found the highest values of 7.10 MW and 10.94 MW through steam route and 4.96 MW and 7.64 MW through gasification route for the years 2015 and 2030 respectively. Thus, through solar-rice husk hybrid power plant system, large amount of electricity can be generated locally in Nepal, which in turn can reduce energy import and enhance the better life of the people.