Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL), a Vedanta Power company and the largest private thermal power producer in North India, has set up Punjab’s biggest biomass manufacturing facility near its 1,980 MW thermal power plant in Mansa district. The new plant will produce torrefied bio-pellets, a clean fuel made from agricultural waste, reports Energetica India.
Torrefied biomass is created through a heating process that turns crop residue into a solid fuel with a much higher energy content than the original material. TSPL’s new facility, which can produce 500 tons of bio-pellets a day, will turn agricultural stubble into carbon-neutral fuel that can be used to replace coal in power generation.
The initiative supports Vedanta’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The new plant was officially inaugurated by Dr. Adarsh Pal Vig, Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), alongside other senior officials and Pankaj Sharma, Chief Operating Officer at TSPL.
Punjab produces around 15–20 million tons of crop stubble every year, much of which is burned in the fields, causing severe air pollution. TSPL plans to use over 800,000 tons of this stubble to produce about 640,000 tons of bio-pellets. By doing so, the company will cut its daily coal use by 5 percent and help prevent around 2.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
In addition to producing its own bio-pellets, TSPL is already using 450 tons of torrefied biomass every day from the open market. This effort supports farmers by creating a market for stubble that would otherwise be burned, leading to widespread air pollution.
The new bio-pellet facility is part of TSPL’s broader campaign to manage crop stubble and improve air quality, while helping Punjab move toward cleaner energy sources.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Adarsh Pal Vig said, “This project shows how industry and environmental goals can align. By using agricultural stubble to produce clean fuel, TSPL is cutting coal use and supporting better air quality across Punjab and beyond.”
Rajinder Singh Ahuja, CEO of Vedanta Power, said, “This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting India’s clean energy future. Despite early challenges like limited technology and infrastructure, we stayed focused on creating greener solutions. Our new facility will help reduce stubble burning and support a cleaner, more sustainable future.”
TSPL plans to expand its biomass program in the coming months, increasing the use of bio-pellets to further lower its carbon emissions. The project is being seen as a model of how traditional energy companies can adopt sustainable practices while continuing to meet energy needs.
