EUBCE 2026 - Akashdeep DEY - Clean Energy generation and Carbon Mitigation from a 1 MW Solar-Biogas Hybrid Power Plant Modelled for Rural Areas in Northern India.

Clean Energy generation and Carbon Mitigation from a 1 MW Solar-Biogas Hybrid Power Plant Modelled for Rural Areas in Northern India.

Short Introductive summary

Crop residue burning has been a pressing environmental issue in North India, particularly in the vicinity of the National Capital Region (NCR), where it significantly contributes to seasonal air pollution, especially during winter. Given India’s substantial climate footprint due to its population and industrial activity, innovative solutions are essential to alleviate pollution, carbon impacts and enable supply for sustainable energy. This poster presents a model of a 1 MW hybrid renewable power plant combining fully renewable and low-carbon energy sources, i.e., solar photovoltaics and biogas, for deployment in rural agricultural areas near the NCR. The system’s hourly performance was modelled for a typical day in each month under three operational scenarios: (i) 1 MW output; (ii) maximum output; and (iii) a custom load-following output. Biogas is produced via anaerobic digestion of agricultural residues, offering a sustainable alternative to open-field burning. Spatial analysis was conducted to estimate land requirements and transportation for major cereal crops. A life cycle assessment quantifies the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter.

A. Dey, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM
H. Chalmers, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM
R.C. Thomson, School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM