Wood Gsifier Based Electricity System :

  Community  wood  gasifier   installed  at  Hosalli ,  a  non 
  electrified  village  in  Tumkur  district ,  by  I . I . Sc 
  demonstrates  that, these  units can be self  sustaining and 
  technically and economically feasible decentralised  systems 
  if managed properly.  Main features of this system are:

  (1)   The  5 kW  wood  gasifier-diesel  system in  operation 
        since 1988, meets the lighting (for 4-5 hours/day) and 
        drinking water requirement of all 43 households. 
  (2)   An  energy  plantation in  2 ha  village land has been 
        raised (in 1987) consisting  of Leucaena leucocephalla, 
        Dalbergia  sisso,  Eucalyptus  hybrid,  Cassia  siamea, 
        Acacia auriculiformis and Casuarina equisetifolia with 
        density  of  6600  plants/hect  and approximate annual 
        productivity of 6 t/ha/yr.
  (3)   The  annual  wood  requirement  of the gasifier is 5.1 
        tonnes  at the  rate of  1.2 kgs/kWh.  Households  are 
        provided  with two  electrical lighting points of 40 W 
        and  25 W  bulbs .  Water  is   pumped  using  a  2 kW 
        submersible  pump  from a borewell, at a depth of 87 m, 
        for  drinking  and  domestic use. Apart from this, the 
        energy  is  used  for  9 street lamps and a flour mill.  
        This  system is being managed (technical and financial 
        management) by three trained village youths. 
  (4)   Diesel replacement up to 85% is achieved under favorable 
        operating conditions.

  Capital cost of gasifier, engine, generator,accessories, wood 
  chipping  machinery, energy  forest  and  building  is  about 
  Rs.63,600. Life  of  gasifier and  engine is considered to be 
  50,000 and 20,000 hours respectively. At an operational level,  
  annual  maintenance  cost  is taken as 5% and 10% of cost for 
  gasifier and  engine  respectively. Economic analysis carried 
  out using the discounted  cash  flow  techniques (NPV) method 
  (considering total life  cost and benefits) shows that at the 
  current level of operation of  4 hours per day,  the cost per 
  unit of electricity is about  Rs. 3.50/kWh. However, analyses 
  show  that  cost  per  kWh  can  be  reduced  to Rs. 2.50  by 
  increasing the hours of operation to 20 hours per day.