NETPRO biomass plant

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$200,000.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Community, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

This product has been implemented by DESI Power, DASAG Energy Engineering, Government of India and TARA (Technology for Action and Rural Advancement), Village EmPower Partnership Programme and Smart Power for Environmentally and Economically Sound Development (SPEED).

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Flexi Biogas BG5, SimGas GesiShamba, HPS Biomass Gasification Power Plant, and TINYTECH Portable Biogas Plant.

Manufacturing/Building Method

The product is designed and built individually depending on demand and fabricated by Netpro.

Intellectural Property Type

Select Type

User Provision Model

The product has been discontinued as of 2018, but was previously available directly through DESI/NetPro.

Distributions to Date Status

As of August 29, 2012, 14 had been distributed.

Design Specifications

The NETPRO biomass plant is a biomass gasification system. Preferred biomass species include ipomia, casurina, wood chips rice husk briquettes. The biomass dimensions must be 6 x 2 x 2 cm or less. The plant’s rated capacity is 20 kW to 1.2 MW. The biomass requirement is 1 kg per unit of electricity.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Technical support is provided by Netpro. These services include: • Supervision for Construction and Erection • Support for Plant Commissioning • Training of employees for Operation and Maintenance • Guidance for Energy Plantation

Replacement Components

Replacement components available through Netpro. As DESI is involved throughout the system operation it is possible that parts can be outsourced from elsewhere. Report from CDF claims replacement parts are outsourced exclusively from NetPro which can delay repair/service.

Lifecycle

Unknown

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Designer-specified performance targets include: affordable and decentralized.  

Vetted Performance Status

A 2010 CDF Report conducted a comparison of DESI and Husk Power. They conclude that both systems/ organizations have advantages as the focus on slightly different clients, financing, structure and type of biomass used. The biggest comparison financially is that the minimum monthly payment required for electricity from DESI Power plant is approximately Rs. 100 - In contrast, a household in a village where Husk Power Systems operates can get the same amount of electricity for half that price. It was also found in 2007 that the avg. DESI power raw material consumption/hour was 50-70 kg (for 75 kWe plant), and the capital costs for a plant of 50 KWe capacity is $1400/KW. Other reports/organizations (Rockefeller and Gates Foundation) determined the purchase price capacity of the system, which was $1600/KW for a 25 KWe system, $1400/KW for a 50 KWe system, and $900/KW for a 110-450 KWe system.

Safety

There can be dangers operating a biogas systems during the operation of machinery, the event of a malfunction (voltage, handling Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide), and in handing residue/by-products.

Complementary Technical Systems

The system can be paired with PV and/or wind to optimize energy production.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Evaluation methods

Evaluation method by (2011) CDF Report which examined DESI and Husk Power looked at: Technology Type, Area and End-User profile, Cost of Establishment and Operations, Feedstock Supply Chain, Distribution and Revenue Collection, Pricing Strategy and Management Team and Man Power. In terms of technology development/testing it appears the evaluation is done through NetPro and DESI. The evaluation methods focus on the financial analysis of power outputs, hours of electricity provided and entrepreneurial opportunities. The report by Gates Foundation refers to an analysis by DESI, which compared the installed cost of locally produced power from a biogasification system to centrally produced power.

Other Information

Additional performance data here.