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Electricity generation for rural applications through biomethanation process is very promising in countries like India where availability of biomass feedstock is very high. However, sustainability of biomass power plants requires meticulous planning starting from assessment of feedstock availability to collection, storage, transport and conversion in power plant. All these parameters are spatially inter-linked and therefore use of spatial tools such as GIS is helpful in such planning. This paper investigates electrical power generation potential of a newly constructed biomethanation plant in Sonitpur district of Assam, India. Spatial availability of locally available biomass feedstocks for methane generation is assessed using GIS. The GIS is also used for optimal biomass collection and transportation network design. Altogether, 7 different types of biomass feedstock (kitchen waste, vegetable waste, cow dung, pig droppings, goat droppings, poultry droppings and rice straw) are identified in the surrounding villages of the plant within optimum biomass supply radius. Biomass feedstock of the area can produce 37,000 m 3 methane; sufficient for continuous generation of 5.3 MW electricity. Power supply from the proposed plant would improve rural living standard and key areas such as education and health will be particularly benefited. However, biomass assessment and supply logistics would require managerial attention to minimize cost of power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spatial assessments of crop residue biomass and its power potential at village level in Sonitpur district of Assam, India is presented in this paper. Recent IRS P6 LISS-III remote sensing data of the study area is analyzed in GIS environment to map crop areas and subsequently residue biomass availability at village level. Altogether 16 different types of crop residues are identified in the district with rice crop as dominant residue. About 0.17 million tonnes of crop residue biomass, having about 17MW potential power, is spatially distributed in the rural areas of the district. Village level biomass power mapping is done assuming combustion route of decentralized power generation. Considering the acute shortage of grid connected power supply in the study area, the decentralized crop residue based power generation could be an attractive option. At individual level, thermal power plant up to 72kW could be possible to cater the essential power need of the villager. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]