India has initiated its power generation from renewable sources by several different principles namely gasification and combustion. Biomass gasification is carried out at different power capacity levels ranging from 25 kW to 2 MW and above. When a comparative analysis is made between combustion and gasification of biomass, the former technology is best operational under high capacity installations while the inverse is true for the gasification. This peculiar advantage seen in gasification to operate at smaller ranges makes the technology suitable for adoption in rural and by small entrepreneurs where power generation is required rather than efficiency. The technology even though best functions with high range installations of 2 MW, its utility is obstructed by the demand for a series for engines and India has less than 10 installations so far.

Gasification technology is really ideal where resources are randomized and adoption of any other technology is tedious on a financial scale. Gasifiers are flexible to operate which makes the user to follow any technology depending on his requirements to a limited extent.

Check out: EAI Consulting for Bio-energy & Biofuels, Bioplastics & Other Biomass-based Value Added Products