Husk Power Systems, winner of the 2011 Ashden Award for off-grid energy generation, sponsored by the NTR Foundation
Husk Power Systems (HPS) won a 2011 Ashden Award because of its success in providing electricity to villages using gasified rice-husk as the fuel.
India has a serious shortage of electricity, and people living in rural areas suffer the most. This is particularly acute in the state of Bihar, where even for those that are connected the supply is very unreliable. Most households have to use kerosene for lighting, and businesses turn to diesel generators for power. The founders of HPS looked for affordable ways to address this shortage of electricity, and identified the potential for making gas from rice husk - a plentiful local resource - and using this for power generation at village level.
I used to pay 5 rupees each day to have my mobile phone charged, now I can just charge it in my shop Garak Yadav, Liquor store owner in Marchawaha
Key Information
- HPS builds plants where there is local demand for electricity, and a source of rice husk or other agricultural residues within 10km
- Plant consists of rice husk gasifier, series of filters to clean the gas, gas engine, 35kW generator and 240V ac electricity distribution system to connect customers within a 2km range of plant
- Plants run each evening for up to eight hours
- Basic connection provides two 15W CFL lights and phone charging. Costs $2.20 per month. Customers can pay more for a higher power connection.
- HPS trains a local operator, electrician, fuel handler and fee collector to run each plant, with specialised regional staff available to help with problems. All customers are trained in safe use of electricity
- High availability of power (over 94% of scheduled time) due to design of equipment, and the rigorous maintenance, safety and monitoring procedures instituted by HPS
- By March 2011, 65 plants in operation, supplying electricity to about 32,500 households and businesses
- Household kerosene use cut by 6 to 7 litres/month, saving about $4.40 per month or twice the cost of a basic connection
- Overall kerosene saving of 2.7 million litres/year cuts green house gas emissions by 8,100 tonnes/year CO2. Further CO2 saving from reduced use of diesel
- Reliable electricity makes families feel settled and part of the wider world
- Good quality lighting enables children to study properly and families to relax in the evening, as well as reducing snake and dog bites and petty crime
- Shops and businesses have lower costs and can work more easily without the need for diesel generators, and some new businesses have started
- Phone charging at home enables families to keep in touch with relatives who work elsewhere in India or abroad
- HPS is starting businesses that use the char left over from rice husk gasification, including the manufacture of incence sticks
- 270 people trained and employed by HPS, most of them at village level. Additional temporary work created during plant construction.
Future Plans
- HPS has a target of over 2,000 plants in operation by end of 2014
Husk Power Systems is a for profit company, registered in 2008. It has a mission to provide renewable and affordable electricity to rural people in a financially sustainable way. Most of its income comes from electricity sales.
To view a video of Husk Power Systems’ work please follow this link