Boiler technology: Sweet way for sugar sector promotion

EU-funded programme will help develop electricity for national grid.

ISLAMABAD:

In order to support the local sugar sector to move towards high pressure boiler technology, the High Pressure Cogeneration for Sugar Sector in Pakistan (HP Cogen-Pak) was inaugurated on Thursday by a European Union (EU) delegation.

Benoist Bazim, the head of section, said this programme will enable the sector to export electricity to the national grid.

“Under the Switch-Asia programme, HP Cogen-Pak will focus on providing support to the sugar, financial, technology and public sector in popularising High Pressure Cogeneration technology,” said Bazin during his speech.

“The programme will achieve this by supporting mills through technology standardisation, enabling access to finance and mobilising relevant public sector authorities.

“Given the energy constraints faced by Pakistan, promotion of this technology will not only help energy security, but also help electricity generation from abundant fuels.”



He added that the sugar sector in Pakistan is suffering from constraints and the project is also aimed to revitalise the industry through removing financial barriers.

Highlighting various activities, HP Cogen-Pak Project Director Omar Malik said the programme is currently working in collaboration with 35 sugar, 14 financial institutions and five technology providers, while seven bankable feasibility studies are already under way. Assessment for the pipeline and capacity building of Pakistani boiler manufacturers is also expected to start in December this year.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Malik said that it is to promote sustainable production of energy for export of surplus electrical power to the national grid through replication of existing technologies in the sugar sector.

“We are also trying to mobilise relevant public sector authorities for the formulation of a regulatory regime for bagasse based power projects,” he said. “Training of technical staff of sugar mills on standardised design and technology selection is also part of the process.”

The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Water and Power, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, Private Power Infrastructure Board, Alternative Energy Development Board, State Bank of Pakistan, Climate Change Division, Pakistani boiler manufacturers and sugar mill representatives.

Pakistan’s sugar sector has an annual availability of 4.4 million metric tons of bagasse, sugar mill waste.

To generate heat and electricity for its energy needs, sugar sector is using inefficient low pressure cogeneration system, consuming 46% more bagasse compared to the High Pressure Cogeneration.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2014.

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