The
company SI-AL-SBEC Bioenergy Limited has been established
to implement the co-generation project for generation and supply of
power to the SBEC Sugar Limited
for in-house consumption and supply of excess power to the state
electricity grid. The company has already entered into a long term
conversion agreement with SBEC Sugar for providing power and steam
to the sugar unit against the supply of bagasse and water from the
sugar plant.
The
project is being implemented
in financial collaboration with Air Liquid, France and SIDEC,
France. Air
Liquid is a world leader
in Industrial Gases and SIDEC
is a leading player in power generation which finances, builds and
operates power plants in order to meet the needs of industrial
clients. SIDEC currently owns 30 power plants in France.
Power
and steam are the two
critical inputs vital to any process industry. For industries that
have a continuous requirement of both steam and power, co-generation
is the most economical option.
This is where technological expertise matters. In most sugar mills,
the associated co-generation is seen as a by-product whose benefits
and efficiency are seen as inconsequential.
The technology
for bagasse-based co-generation for the export of power is wellknown
and commercially practised in several countries, notably the United
States, Mauritius and Dominican Republic. The gestation period for
such projects is less than that of conventional thermal or hydro
power projects.
