SAEL Industries Limited is planning a major bioenergy expansion with a target of developing one gigawatt (GW) of biomass-based power generation capacity over the next five years using paddy stubble and agricultural waste.
The company’s expansion plan is aimed at strengthening India’s renewable energy sector while also addressing the large-scale challenge of crop residue management. SAEL intends to convert paddy straw and other agricultural waste into clean electricity as part of its long-term sustainable energy strategy, Chemical Industry Digest reported.
According to SAEL Chief Executive Officer Laxit Awla, the company plans to build on its existing biomass operations in northern India. At present, SAEL operates 11 biomass power plants across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan with a combined installed capacity of 165 MW. All these facilities use paddy straw as the primary feedstock for electricity generation.
The company said it has become India’s largest producer of electricity generated from paddy stubble, making it a major player in the country’s waste-to-energy sector.
As part of the next phase of growth, SAEL plans to expand its biomass energy projects into Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The company said new projects will be developed in regions where paddy straw-based power generation is commercially viable and operationally practical.
SAEL’s biomass plants are designed to tackle the growing issue of stubble burning, particularly in northern India, where crop residue burning contributes heavily to seasonal air pollution. Instead of burning paddy straw in fields, the company collects agricultural waste and converts it into renewable electricity.
The company said the projects not only support clean energy generation but also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and environmental damage linked to crop residue burning.
The planned expansion is also aligned with India’s broader renewable energy and sustainability goals. By increasing biomass-based electricity generation, SAEL aims to support cleaner energy production while creating economic opportunities in rural and farming communities.
The development further highlights the growing role of biomass and waste-to-energy projects in India’s evolving renewable energy and bioenergy sector.
