Indian Farmers’ Perceptions and Willingness to Supply Surplus Biomass to an Envisioned Biomass-Based Power Plant

Anas Zyadin, Karthikeyan Natarajan, Suresh Chauhan, Harminder Singh, Md. Kamrul Hassan, Ari Pappinen and Paavo Pelkonen
Additional contact information
Anas Zyadin: School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Karthikeyan Natarajan: School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Suresh Chauhan: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, 110003 New Delhi, India
Harminder Singh: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Darbari Seth Block, IHC Complex, Lodhi Road, 110003 New Delhi, India
Md. Kamrul Hassan: School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Ari Pappinen: School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
Paavo Pelkonen: School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland

Challenges, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: The main objectives of this socio-technical study are to investigate the Indian farmers’ biomass production capacities and their perceptions and willingness to supply their surplus biomass to fuel an envisioned biomass-based power plant in three selected Indian states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. For doing so, 471 farmers (about one-third from each state) have been interviewed in the field with info-sheet filled in by the field investigators. The farmers from all of the states appeared very much willing to sell their surplus biomass directly to a power plant. The farmers seem to depreciate the involvement of a middleman in the biomass procurement process. The farmers, however, appeared to highly appreciate a community-based association to regulate the biomass prices, with varying perceptions regarding government intervention. The majority of the farmers perceived the establishment of a biomass-based power plant in their region with positive economic outcomes. The farmers identified several barriers to supply biomass to a power plant where transportation logistics appeared to be the main barrier. The study recommends considering biomass collection, storage and transportation logistics as a fundamental segment of any envisioned investment in a biomass-based power plant. Biomass processing, such as pelletization or briquetting is recommended for efficient transportation of biomass at longer distances to reduce the transportation costs. The study further encourages the establishment of a farmers’ association aimed at collecting and selling biomass in agriculture areas predominant for small land holdings.

Keywords: perceptions; Indian farmers; biomass; power plant; willingness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A00 C00 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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