Energy Utilisation in Karnataka: Part-I An Overview

Energy Conservation Strategies
Energy in Sugar Industry :

Sugar industry is an energy producing industry. The wastes in a sugar mill can be used to produce energy. Normally bagasse is used in the boilers, molasses to produce alcohol and if a distillary is present, its effluents to produce methane gas. A demonstration project in Mysore Sugar Mills, Mandya has been taken up by H.A.L., Bangalore. This project is funded by Department of Nonconventional Sources of Energy (CASE), Department of Science and Technology (Government of Karnataka), Mysugar and HAL. The objective is to run a gas turbine (diesel/alcohol operated) producing 500 kw of electric power which can be used to supply part of electrical energy to the factory; to use waste heat from the turbine to dry bagasse from 50% moisture to 30% moisture; and to run boilers with bagasse as a fuel. The bagasse drier unit has been designed and fabricated within the country and it incorporates many innovative design concepts. The drier has been installed as well as the turbine generator set. Field trials are going on. If methane gas is produced from the distillery's spent wash and used to run the turbine, then the industry will be an energy producer instead of an energy consumer.