NewzVille Desk
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)’s Solapur project will now purchase bamboo biomass to mix with coal for power generation. Initial agreements will be signed for fifty years with the Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to ensure a sustainable supply.
The Chairman of NTPC, Gurdeep Singh said, biomass-based energy projects are the need of the hour for environmental conservation. He explained, “The Solapur NTPC plant consumes 4 million tons of coal annually. By initially mixing 10% bamboo biomass, we will require approximately 400,000 tons of biomass annually.As bamboo availability increases, the mix can rise to 20–30% or higher.”
He assured that NTPC is ready to purchase bamboo biomass immediately and sign long-term agreements with Farmer Producer Companies.
He further stated that this initiative will directly benefit bamboo farmers in the Solapur, Latur, and Dharashiv districts. The NTPC Chairman shared details of this pioneering effort in course of a meeting which was also attended by Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) CEO Praveen Singh Pardeshi, Executive Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Environment and Sustainable Development Task Force Pasha Patel, and NTPC Solapur Project Head Tapan Kumar Bandopadhyay.
The meeting also involved key officials like Solapur Zilla Parishad CEO Kuldeep Jangam, NTPC Regional Executive Director Kamlesh Soni, and representatives from MITRA and FPCs.
Following a letter from Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to NTPC Chairman on December 26, 2024, this meeting was convened within a week to outline policies for farmers in the Dharashiv, Latur, and Solapur districts.
Pasha Patel said that large-scale bamboo cultivation occurs near canals, roadsides, and fields and the Solapur NTPC plant can eventually transition entirely to bamboo biomass, which will be a support for farmers and sustainable cultivation practices.
He also urged farmers to take advantage of subsidies, such as the ₹7.04 lakh per hectare offered through MGNREGA.
He further highlighted subsidy plans by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support bamboo cultivation for up to 10 hectares.
Praveen Singh Pardeshi assured that the institution would provide necessary support for bamboo cultivation and encourage FPCs to take the lead.
He also mentioned plans to provide machinery for processing bamboo biomass pellets through CSR initiatives.
FPC representatives welcomed the initiative, saying, “Previously, farmers hesitated to cultivate bamboo due to uncertainties around sales. With NTPC’s assurance of a 50-year purchase agreement, the problem of selling bamboo is now solved.”
