Comparison of bio-fuels used in co-generation based sugar industry of Punjab: A case study

This paper compares various bio-fuels used in co-generation based sugar industry of Punjab state in India. For this, A. B. Sugars Limited, located in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab state is selected for the case study. Various fuels that have been compared are bagasse, maize cob, sugarcane trash, rat-tailed radish, cow dung cake, wheat trash, mustard trash, rice husk, wooden chips and wood. To compare these fuels, various parameters have been investigated namely, moisture content, volatile matter, ash content and calorific value. Results obtained from the experimental tests reveal that sugarcane trash has minimum moisture content, wood contains maximum volatile matter, rat-tailed radish has minimum ash content and maize cob has highest calorific value. Moreover, as ample quantities of bio-fuels are available in agriculture based state of Punjab all over the year; thus, co-generation using bio-fuels can prove to be a promising alternative to the practice of conventional coal based electricity generation in this agrarian state.