As efforts intensify to reduce air pollution caused by crop residue burning, Vedanta Power has expanded its biomass co-firing operations at its plant in Punjab, using farm waste as a fuel source.
The company’s Talwandi Sabo Power facility in Mansa has recorded an average biomass co-firing rate of 5.21 percent in the current financial year, surpassing the requirement set by the Commission for Air Quality Management. The norms require thermal power plants within 300 km of Delhi to use biomass along with coal to help reduce emissions, Energetica India reported.
According to the company, more than 3.60 lakh metric tonnes of processed biomass have been used so far in FY26, leading to an estimated reduction of 0.40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
The initiative involves sourcing paddy straw from farmers and converting it into biomass pellets, which are then used as fuel in power generation. This provides an alternative to stubble burning in fields.
Vedanta said it has engaged around 3,800 farmers in the region and supported the collection of over 8 lakh metric tonnes of paddy straw, helping build a supply chain for biomass fuel. It has also facilitated the setting up of a pellet manufacturing unit in Punjab with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day.
The impact has been reflected in a sharp fall in farm fires. Stubble burning cases in Mansa declined from 2,253 in 2023 to 306 in 2025, a drop of nearly 87 percent. More than 100 villages reported zero incidents, while over 28,000 acres of farmland were protected.
Vedanta Power CEO Rajinder Singh Ahuja said the company is working to combine large-scale power generation with cleaner practices through biomass use.
Experts say while the model offers a practical solution, challenges such as the cost and availability of biomass and supply chain gaps remain. They added that wider adoption will depend on policy support, better infrastructure and stronger coordination across the sector.
