ROPAR: Finally, there is a technology to put an end to the environmentally disastrous practice of stubble burning, that the government has shown little urgency about tackling.
Jointly developed by a UK-based Aston University and IIT Ropar, Pyroformer -- the much-awaited tech marvel that takes waste products and residues (such as husk and straw) and converts them into oil, gas and biochar -- was installed in three villages -- Khuaspura, Hussainpur and Ladal -- of the district on Tuesday.
"The problem of open field burning and its contribution to climate change had become serious. The work being undertaken through EnergyHarvest scheme could help eradicate open field burning and transform life in rural India forever," said visiting professor Robert Berry, executive dean, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Aston University.
The functional unit, which will consist of pyroformer, pelletiser and a diesel engine, will come at a cost of Rs 30 lakh.
In February this year, TOI had reported that an inexpensive prototype of a community bio-oil generation plant was being made at Punjab's first IIT as part of a research project "EnergyHarvest," taken up by the European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) of Aston University in Birmingham.
"This technology has the potential to stimulate growth and provide a cost-effective, reliable and sustainable form of decentralised power generation to address the local needs of heat and energy," said M K Surappa, director, IIT Ropar.
The machine will be used for two main purposes -- to extract bio-oil from wheat as well as rice straw, and run diesel engine with its blending in a 70 (diesel):30 (bio-oil) ratio.
The technology enables the plant to first convert straw into pellets, using a pelletiser, and then goes to pyroformer and condenser to convert into either of byproducts -- bio-oil or biochar.
The project has been installed in the villages as part of pilot operations free of cost, sources said. The research team of IIT Ropar and Aston varsity is now looking for assistance from the state government.
On an average, 23.5 million straws are put on fire by farmers every year, releasing an estimated 12 megatonnes of CO2, a greenhouse gas, into the air.
On November 5 last year, the NASA images had shown Punjab pockmarked with red dots which corresponded to paddy stubble blazes, deliberately lit by farmers.
The practice, environment experts say, makes soil lose its fertility as also farmer-friendly insects and micronutrients.
