Exploring Sugarcane and Renewable Energy
The Mauritius Experience
TRIP REPORT
Scientific Visit to Mauritius
July 18-29, 2011
Lance White and Niconor Reece
Capital
Port Louis
Main Land
Mauritius (1865km2),
Group of Smaller Island
Rodrigues, Cargados Carajos, Agaléga,
Tromelin & Chagos Archipelagos
Total Land Area
2040 km2
Marine Exclusive Zone
1.9 million km2
Climate
Mild maritime, rainfall average 2100mm,
tropical depression and cyclones
Population
Pluralistic -1.3 million
Economy
Service, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Tourism,
Financial Services. ICT
GDP/Capita (2010)
US$8700; GDP per capita has grown by 9.8%
annually between 1990 and 2009
Exchange rate (2010
average)
Rupees (local currency)/US$=31.58
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Objectives of Scientific Visit
Overview of Mauritius
Select Sites Visited
Central Electricity Board (CEB)
FUEL
Omnicane
MSIRI
Regulations and Policy
Recommendations
Concluding Remarks
 Renewable energy development and policies
– Special focus on bagasse based cogeneration
 Examining energy sector structure, policies, plans,
cogeneration, grid connectivity and pricing
 Energy database and information management
 Sugar industry occupies about 72,000 ha or 40% of the total land area
 –Contributes about 19% of the foreign exchange earnings
 –MSIRI pivotal to the development of the industry since 1953
 –Produce multi-purpose sugarcane varieties for sugar and co-generation.
 Mauritius was the first country in the world to produce energy to the
grid from bagasse. (1957)
 Mauritius has the highest electricity access rate in the African Diaspora (99%100%)
 Power plants use bagasse and coal
–Provides approximately 60% of the island’s electricity
 RE targets 35% contribution to electricity
– Comprise mixture of biomass, wind, hydro, solar and geothermal energy
72,000 ha under
sugar cane
(40% of island)
SITE
Central Electricity Board
ROLE
CEB
Electricity Producer/Sector
Regulator
Mauritius Sugar industry
MSIRI
Research Organization
FUEL
Bagasse production and use + Co
Research Institute
Flaqu United Estate
Limited
generation
Omnicane Ltd
Co-generation, Bagasse + coal
• Operates eight (8)hydro stations with installed capacity of 53 MW
• Purchase power from IPP on supply contract (PPA)
– Three IPP fuel (coal and bagasse) Long term PPA
– Capacity of 111 MW (off crop) and 78 MW (crop)
– Seven IPP (bagasse) during the crop 39MW
– The PPA- based on an indexation of bagasse to coal price
based on calorific values.
– modification of the price indexation formula in 2002
– Exact price paid per kwh generated was not disclosed (costs
are based on CEB production cost, this is which is used as a
base)
– Thermal Generation Total Cost With Fin. Charge Rs/kwh 4.45
(0.14 US$)
• FUEL is the oldest and first bagasse/coal cogeneration plant on the
island (since 1984)
• Generating capacity of 40.1 MW (1x21.7MW and 1 X 18.6MW)
• Grinding Capacity of 6000 tons of cane per day.
• 2 boilers operating at 44 bar and 440 oC (with condensing turbines),
• Fuel consumption of 272,000 ton of bagasse and 90,000 tons of coal
per annum.
• Plans to increase the pressure to 110 bars thereby increasing the MW
output significantly.
The milling plant consumes about 21 Kw/ton cane and 380kg steam/ton
cane.
The investment in the power plant would involve moving to 110 bar 540 oC.
The cost of expanding the power plant is estimated at 2 million US$ per MW
installed.
The price of electricity is key (PPA) and worked back to planters.
Bagasse price is based on a government tariff of US$3/ton of bagasse
turned into electricity and sold to the utility. (Paid into a fund by the CEB and
is shared 50/50 between the IPP and the planters).
No indication of the price paid for power generation and sold to the CEB
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OMNICANE
OMNI CANE (all things Cane)
Omnicane is a public company with shareholders
Strategic plan - diversify the sugarcane business to bioethanol and wind energy.
Factory capacity - 1.5million tons of cane annually (commissioned in 2007)
Factory energy demand 500kg steam/ton cane (refinery); 380 kg steam/ton cane
(without refinery)
Power Plant - 90MW (Boilers- 80 bar and 520 0C) cost 100million Euro, Bagasse
storage of 1800 tons (1 day supply) co firing coal/bagasse (spreader stoker
technology)
The minimum supply of power to the grid is 9MW in the crop and 11 MW
intercropping period.
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Biofuels project being developed as a national project with a
number of stakeholders.
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The project targets the production of bioethanol from molasses.
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Planned plant of 80,000 litres /day for commissioning by 2012 to
support a 10% ethanol gasoline blend, at a cost of 12.5 million Euro.
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Planned integration of wind farms with sugar cultivation
Agricultural Research and Development are an integral part of the
Mauritian Heritage.
In 1930 it was incorporated into the newly created department of
Agriculture within which the Sugarcane Research Station was incorporated.
The Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) took over the
functions of this department in 1953.
The mission of MSIRI is to ensure the scientific progress of the Sugarcane
Industry and to increase its efficiencies.
MSIRI is funded by the sugar industry to the tune of US$5.5 million per
year
MSIRI comprises 22 departments which are grouped into 4 entities
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Biology
Agronomy
Engineering
Resource Management
Approximately 117 officers and 133 manual workers are employed.
Cane Breeding
This is geared towards the genetic improvement of sugarcane productivity
through the development of new varieties with high yields and sucrose
content resistant to major diseases and tolerant to pests. Varieties are
adopted to the climate and endowed with good ratooning capacity suitable for
mechanical harvesting. Increased interest is paid to total biomass and the
development of high fibre variety for electricity generation and others for
ethanol production .
Most of these are analyzed for important morphological and agronomic traits
Seeds produced each year are sown to produce a new generation of
100 000 genotypes each representing a new variety
The selection process consists of the evaluation of all these varieties across
several stages spanning over 11-15 years before a variety is released for cultivation.
Approximately 2 500 crosses representing 600 genetic combinations are made
every year from May-July under controlled conditions such as specially
equipped glass houses
Data from selection and crossing are managed by a modern plant breeding
and selection process
Over 63 varieties have been released since its creation
including a few foreign ones that are adopted for local conditions.
A cane release Committee reviews performance of candidate varieties for
Commercial release.
Candidate variety for commercial release
A tissue culture laboratory was established in 1993 to satisfy demand for
newly released varieties.
Most hope is placed in tissue culture propagation which has helped to
produce 15 000 –20 000 plantlets in 2004
Plantlets from tissue
culture propagation
With new genomic approaches it is possible to reduce production costs
as well as selection period.
With the help of genetic transformation techniques, genes of interest can
now be transferred to the different plant species
In sugarcane, the preferred method is the direct DNA transfer using the
Particle or Biolistic Gun
Application of Biolostic Gun technique
Application of genetic transformation
techniques
Climate Change, Pests and Disease control
The effect of climate variability on production has to be traced and monitored
Rainfall and radiation use efficiency as well as temperatures are monitored
Information on pests and diseases is communicated occasionally
Dissemination of Information on Pests
and Disease
The monitoring of annual mean
temperature
The evaluation of scarce land resources for optimum use has been a major
concern. MSIRI produced its first soil map in 1965. This was followed by more
detailed map in 1984.
In 1969 an agro-climatic map was produced and in 1973 a land resource and
agricultural suitability map was published.
During 1977, a computerized land index was integrated into a GIS database
to enable a spatial analysis of productivity at the regional and local levels
Due to the volcanic nature of the soils, prior de -rocking of cane fields is
necessary
Bolders are sent to stone crushing plants while the smaller sized stones are
used on the intervals or minor roadways.
 GPS and GIS have been used in conjunction with satellite imagery to manage
farm operations such as de-rocking, mechanization and precision agriculture,
De-rocking of land for
sugarcane planting
Drip Irrigation has been applied on a limited scale.
Centre Pivots are the most widely used irrigation systems.
A software called the IRRIPIVO was developed for irrigation monitoring for
deficit irrigation.
GIS has been used to develop the Irrigation Management Information system
IMIS.
Drip Irrigation Filters
Fertilizing accounts for as much as 40% of the costs of production
Row lengths as long as 300 m are used for improved field efficiency
 Where mechanization is not possible, mechanical loaders are used
to enhance manual harvesting.
Mechanical loading
In recognition of the need for preservation of the environment and to manage its
limited water resources , factory wastes as a source of irrigation was also
investigated
Minimum or reduced tillage measures have been applied on steep slopes
High density dual rows using a flat bed culture are established on mainly hilly
terrains.
High Density , Dual
Row planting
The acquisition of high tech equipment has positioned MSIRI in the
forefront of development
Folio-diagnosis to ascertain adequate fertilization in ratoons was developed in
Mauritius and is now adopted in most sugarcane industry worldwide.
The MSIRI laboratory is equipped with gas chromatograph to analyze
micro –pollutants. The isotope ratio mass spectrometer for the analysis of
Carbon and Nitrogen in soils was recently acquired.
Studies have been intensified in the area of the conversion of bagasse into
simpler sugars for the production of ethanol and bio-degradable plastics
Power and noise level management are an integral part of the Sugar Technology
and Engineering department studies.
The ISO-17025 standard accreditation for the MSIRI laboratory was attained
► Mauritius Energy Policy 2007-2025
► THE CENTRAL ELECTRICITY BOARD ACT 1963
► SUGAR INDUSTRY EFFICIENCY
• Act 36 of 1988 –10 December 1988
• Modernization and Agricultural Diversification Reserve
• Incentives to planters and millers
• Land conversion
 Improve pricing equity
 Establish a diverse Sugar Cane Payment Mechanism
– Bagasse converted to power supplied to the grid
– Payment for molasses in full to the growers to eliminate issues of value
added to molasses
 Encourage equity & integration in Sugar Industry and energy market
 Integrated approach to encourage energy security and national development
– Energy diversification and encouragement of bio-energy sector
– Bio-fuels development
– Bagasse & coal co-firing for electricity generation to national grid
 Diverse/enhanced Sugar Industry (varied types of energy production)
– Integration of wind farms on lands with sugar cane production
– Energy creation from wind power plants located on sugar lands based on
wind mapping results
Mauritius has strong history surrounding the use of Sugarcane
The government has demonstrated their dedication to meeting targets
set for RE
The country plans supported by relevant legislations, regulations and
relevant Acts of Parliament
Jamaica shares similar past to Mauritius in developing RE
Mauritius can serve as a road map where bagasse cogeneration is
concerned
1 Contact Info: [email protected]
Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica
36 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 5
Jamaica, W.I.
Tele:(876) 929-5380-9
2 Contact Info: [email protected]
Sugar Industry Research Institute
Kendal Rd. Mandeville
Manchester Jamaica W.I.
Tele: (876) 962-2241