1. About Energy Plantation Projects India LTD
Energy Plantation Projects India Ltd. is a company established to produce cheap Electricity
using Biomass as the fuel. The Feedstock (Firewood as the Biomass in our case) for the
power stations is supplied from the home grown plantations. A combination of fast growing,
high calorific wood yielding, easily reproducible species are designed for this purpose. The
pilot project in 500 acres is under implementation at Sivagangai. This will be the landmark in
renewal Energy Sector, since we’ll be producing the cheapest Electricity in the world and
that will be in the real back of beyond in Tamil Nadu.
Though the primary focus was to develop energy plantations for its own own power
stations, we have found that the same techniques and the results can extremely beneficial
for the Tea Factories.
High Density Energy Plantations for Heat Energy within Tea Factories
Concept:
Generation of Heat Energy in Calories Range using home grown feedstock for an all round
advantage. Since generation of Heat energy using biomass is an age old concept, it need not
be detailed here. Thus, the note concentrates on the idea of using “home grown feedstock”
for generation of Heat energy. “Home grown” pertains to cultivation of forests of fast
growing trees on hundreds of acres of unused land.
Captive biomass for Tea Factories:
These following points substantiate the need for a captive plantation by the power
producing company
• It substitutes the use of electrical energy for Withering and Drying process
• It provides the much needed Biomass availability and Security.
• Social benefits for the company.
• Reduction in the raw material cost.
• Reduction in logistics cost when the Energy Plantation is within the vicinity of the tea factory
• Optimization of the design brings in economies of manufacture and resultant reduction in
the cost of the equipment.
• Based on the ideal parameters of operation the plants can be run at maximum load factor.
Heat production using natural renewable sources qualifies as one of the most desirable methods
than electricity. If the natural resource is the biomass (firewood) from the trees grown specifically
for the purpose of heat production, the resources are called generally as Energy Plantations. Energy
Plantations forests are grown specifically for the purpose of producing electricity / heat production.
Hence, the Energy Plantations are to be designed, implemented and maintained for producing the

2. firewood needed for Tea Factories in a PREDICTABLE manner. This aspect of Predictability has three
elements as given below
Suitability: The species involved in the Energy Plantations will be of the variety that can produce
biomass of right density, right thermal characteristics like the calorific value, ash content and the
like, right physical characteristics like the growth parameters (height, girth etc.), coppicing
(regenerative) qualities and the like, right adaptability to the local environment, etc.
Repeatability: The species involved in the Energy Plantations will be qualified for repeatability. This
means that the species are to be amenable for reproduction in large quantities with all the
characteristics of healthy growth built in. Techniques for the regeneration (like seed farming,
vegetable propagation, EMI techniques etc.) may be man- made, but the species themselves should
be those that can adapt to the regeneration techniques.
Scalability: As large quantities of biomass is expected to be acquired from the Energy plantations
every year. Hence the Plantations will have the ability to produce a large number of saplings for this
purpose. This involves development of suitable techniques for organized and orderly reproduction
techniques, supervision and placement at the tight time and in the right quantity.
Technical Description of the Energy Plantation
Firewood Species:
The Company has since past 7 years conducted experiments, compiled data & statistics from its own
experiments and also from other research institutions to identify many species which are suitable for
firewood purpose. Below is the technical list of species which are both tried in trial at our own fields
and also recommended by many more research organizations for the purpose of Firewood. The
table also gives the technical parameters of the species selected.
Technical
details
of
Selected
Species
Calorific value Weight density Yield in Tons per
Hectare
Harvest Cycle
4000 Cal/g
To
5000 Cal/g
.335 gm / cm3
to
.616 gm / cm3
250 MT
Harvest ready from
the 4th
year and
then COPPICING
process starts
Basis of selection: The basis of selecting the above mentioned species are
1. Rate of Growth: The rate of growth of the plants has a minimum growth of 5
Mts in a year. The expected growth Parameters of all the species selected are

3. almost in the same range. These trees are expected to grow to a height of 15
mts by 5 years with a trunk diameter of 1 meter at breast level.
2. Calorific Value: The calorific values of all the species are around 4500 Kilo
cal / Kg. This is the optimum range of calorific value that can be attained with
the combination of good growth characteristics.
3. Coppicing quality: The regenerating nature of these species is most
important aspect of commercial viability. All the species are very good
coppices and can re-grow very well on cutting.
4. Weight Density: The choices of species are chosen after studying more than
60 different species. The species selected are all having a weight density
ranging between 45 kgs / Cft to 60 kgs / Cft
Expected growth and yield: The expected yield from a well maintained Biomass Plantation
using these species can give 500 Mt / Hectare.
Value Addition
Fuel Security : Most of the Tea Factories are suffering from raw material supply / sourcing
problem. The Biomass plantations are a one window solution for complete Biomass security
of the raw material requirement of a Tea Factory. This ensures the smooth functioning &,
maximum efficiency of the Tea Factory. The size of plantation can be planned in line with
the production needs. The cost of Biomass / Firewood as we all know, in the open market,
has shot up more than 300% in the last 3 years. Captive Biomass Plantations not only secure
the Tea factories from non availability of Biomass, but also from the increase in the market
price of the Biomass. Other than the initial capital investment for the project establishment,
there shall be no further huge capital investments made on the Biomass Plantation. There
fore you are insured from the upward movement of the market prices of Firewood.
Cost Reduction of Raw Material: The Cost of Biomass / Firewood which is harvested from a
home grown plantation are more economical compared to purchasing it from open market.
Quality of Raw Material: The quality and specifications of the raw material has a direct
impact on the maintenance of the Boilers. Whereas in the case of captive Biomass
Plantations the raw material fed to the power station is predetermined, this reduces the
frequency of Boiler maintenance. By developing captive power stations, we will have total
control on the supply of raw material. The Harvesting, drying & cutting cycle can be exactly
matched to the Power production needs, since the raw material is available in your own

4. plantations. This results in optimum utilization of the raw material available without giving
scope for loss of weight due to early procurement & parking of raw material.
Transportation: There will be a huge reduction of cost due to the availability of the biomass
near to Power station. Since the Biomass is permanently available logistics involved in the
biomass transportation can be well planned & managed.
Afforestation & Green Image: Since this is the age of Global warming and green energy
Projects, the project shall surely earn laurels from all the corner of the society, Governments
& Bankers. This is in reality a true contribution to the Mother Earth.
Social Benefits: The Biomass plantation also will provide employment opportunity to local
habitats. Generating Employment opportunities in dry areas are the focused areas of all
Governments. Private Companies can do it without much effort with their mere existence by
developing such Biomass Plantations.