Integration of Concentrating Solar Power in Cane-based Sugar Cogenerating Plants- A Strategic Energy Option for India

The presently tapped potential for cogeneration from sugar plants in Indiain India is very low (4.8 GW). There is the good untapped potential of around 10 GW from the sugar sector besides opportunities for enhancing the annual plant load factor (PLF) during the off-season phase. The use of Concentrating Solar Thermal power (CST) in the Indian power sector is gaining importance since 2014 as the linear parabolic trough technology is now available. A number of plants based on CST have been established in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. In this paper, the integration of CST plants with sugar based cogeneration plants (where the PLF is limited by the availability of bagasse) is presented in view of the great strategic importance of this combination which does not need the power block for CST and enhances the capacity utilization of sugar mills. By the introduction of CST, during the crushing seasons there is saving in bagasse and during the offseason, generation is ensured. On the overall, by the use of CST, the annual PLF can be increased from 69 % to 77 %.