Reassessing the availability of crop residue as a bioenergy resource in India: A field-survey based study

Second-generation bioenergy, a carbon neutral or negative renewable resource, is crucial to achieving India's net-zero emission targets. Crop residues are being targeted as a bioenergy resource as they are otherwise burned on-field, leading to significant pollutant emissions. But estimating their bioenergy potential is problematic because of broad assumptions about their surplus fractions. Here, we use comprehensive surveys and multi-variate regression models to estimate the bioenergy potential of surplus crop residues in India. These are with high sub-national and crop disaggregation that can facilitate the development of efficient supply chain mecha-nisms for its widespread usage. The estimated potential for 2019 of 1313 PJ can increase the present bioenergy installed capacity by 82% but is likely insufficient alone to meet India's bioenergy targets. The shortage of crop residue for bioenergy, combined with the sustainability concerns raised by previous studies, imply a need to reassess the strategy for the use of this resource.

Automated summary

Second-generation bioenergy is crucial for India's net-zero emission targets, but estimating the bioenergy potential of crop residues is problematic. This study uses comprehensive surveys and regression models to estimate the potential in India, with high sub-national and crop disaggregation. The estimated potential can increase bioenergy capacity by 82%, but may not be sufficient to meet India's targets, highlighting the need to reassess the resource's strategy.