Renewable energy firm SAEL is planning to significantly expand its biomass power capacity by scaling up to 1 gigawatt over the next five years, with a strong focus on using paddy stubble.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer Laxit Awla said the expansion will build on SAEL’s existing operations, which convert agricultural waste into electricity, News on Projects reported.
Currently, SAEL operates in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, where it runs 11 power plants with a combined capacity of 165 MW, all powered by paddy straw. The company is also the largest producer of electricity generated from paddy stubble in India.
As part of its growth plans, SAEL is looking to expand its waste-to-energy projects to more states across the country. These include Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Awla said the company aims to establish a wider national presence by setting up projects wherever paddy straw-based energy production is feasible.
The planned expansion is expected to strengthen efforts to manage crop residue while increasing renewable energy generation.
