Biomass and Solar PV Hybrid Minigrids for Off-Grid Farming Communities
Innovation Type:
Energy-Food
Product Segment:
Energy – Residential & Commercial Energy Production
Country of Incorporation:
India
Nigeria
Country of Implementation:
India
Nigeria
Tanzania
Seeking Investment:
Yes
Financing Goals:
Seeking debt (commercial or DFI)
Contact Name:
Manoj Sinha
Contact Email:
Website:
Challenges
Rural, off-grid communities in India, Nigeria, and Tanzania that rely on solar PV systems are limited in their hours of agricultural operations and access to electricity. Diesel generators and battery back-ups are expensive to operate, so operations are limited to a single shift.
Solutions
Husk Power Systems builds, owns, operates, and manages a hybrid solution that combines a biomass gasification system with a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Husk Power System’s solution allows access to electricity in rural, off-grid communities in India, Nigeria, and Tanzania and extends the hours available for agricultural operations. The biomass plant uses a proprietary downdraft gasification technology that converts abundant agricultural residue, such as maize cobs, rice husks, coffee husks, and cotton stalks, into electricity. The system powers a mini-grid that produces electricity for residential, as well as agricultural, commercial, institutional, and industrial, needs. The electricity is distributed to rural households and micro-enterprises through a mini-grid system—providing a better quality, cheaper way to meet their needs for energy. Agricultural uses that will be powered include irrigation pumps, agro-processing mills, and drying and heating processes.
