1. Rural Employment for Women using Biofuel Plants
Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral

2. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Rural Income Disparity counters Women Empowerment
 Income Disparity
• 70% of women live in rural India
• Income dependent on agriculture, which has growth of 2-3%
• Rural-urban income disparity is 91%
• Gender income disparity prominent in rural India
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Rural-Urban Income Disparity Gender Inequality in Rural India

3. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Innovative Solution– Biofuel Plants in Rural India
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Use of agricultural
waste as Bio-Fuel
Implementation
Strategy
Advantages over
alternatives
 Rural India is one of the biggest producers of Agricultural waste in
the World
 Bio-fuel is cheaper & has low carbon emission than coal
 Demand for renewable energy is rising
 Additional source of income for Rural India
 One briquetting plant will cover 10 villages (~10 plants per tehsil)
 Women entrepreneurs in Villages to collect agricultural waste
from farms and ensure delivery to the plant
 Storage space in plants to ensure off-season production
 Delivery of biomass briquettes to local industries
 Agricultural waste is mostly burned away
 No intermediate collector of waste and producer of briquettes –
Direct sale between villagers and industry
 If implemented nationally, second biggest income generator in
rural India after Agriculture

4. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Biofuel market and future prospects
 India is one of the biggest CO2 emitters in the world
 Global environment commitments has put a pressure to ensure reduction
in emissions and earn carbon credits
 Industries which use biomass briquettes – Beverage, Pharmaceuticals
 Biomass briquettes have higher calorific value than coal
 Despite the huge demand for biomass fuel, Coal is still widely used
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Agriculture waste is the most abundantly
available biomass
But lack of any organized supply limits its
usage

5. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Collection of Agricultural waste
 Rural women entrepreneurs and
self-help groups in each village to
manage collection of agricultural
waste from local farms and ensure
delivery to the plant
 Credit policy with farmers - Price for
agricultural waste will be made to
the farmer with in 30 days of
collection
 Agricultural waste will include –
Rice husk, wheat husk, groundnut
shells, coffee shells
• Leafs & twigs will be included as well to
ensure enough agricultural waste
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6. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Briquetting plant
 Joint ownership of briquetting
plant among women
entrepreneurs
• Collaboration with NABARD &
IREDA for financial assistance
 10 briquetting plants per Tehsil
• Each plant covering around 10
villages
 10K – 20K sq.ft. plant to ensure
enough storage space for
agricultural waste
 6 operators of the briquetting
plant
• Will comprise of 2-3 women to do
less physical tasks such as feeding
of waste in the machine and
packing of produced briquettes
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A
Waste Storage
Dryer
Briquetting machine
Ship to client
factories
B C D E F G H
Villages

7. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Biomass Briquettes to Market
 Produced biomass briquettes to
be shipped off to heat intensive
industries
• Industries which use boilers include
beverage, pharmaceuticals, biotech,
brick manufacturers etc.
 Logistics to be outsourced to
transportation companies
 Long-term contracts with
companies to ensure stable
operations
• Payment received from client within 2
weeks of delivery
• Payment to farmers once collection
from the client
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8. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Alliances & Partnerships
 Technology partnerships for Procuring Briquetting Press & Machinery
 Hi-Tech Agro
 Lehra fuel-tech
 Financial institutions for providing Microfinance to women
 NGOs and Self-Help Groups
 Microfinance Institutions
 Public Sector Banks
 Government Finance Schemes
 Cooperative banks
 Sustainable technology for renewable energy
 TERI
 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
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Examples:
Mann Deshi Mahila Bank – Regulated cooperative bank run
by and for women that provides individual and group loans
to rural women
IREDA - Public Limited Government Company to
promote, develop and extend financial assistance for
renewable energy and energy efficiency projects

9. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Project Impact & Sustainability
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Employment and Self-Sustenance
for rural women
• Each women entrepreneur takes home
cash of INR 37,000
• Profit of INR 1,000 per ton, production of
400 tons per month per plant
• Assuming 10 women entrepreneurs (each
taking a loan of INR 3.5 lacs), and 10%
interest rate
Cleaner and efficient fuel - Lower
carbon emissions
• 40% more efficient than firewood
• Smokeless - Create no smoke, soot, or
carbon deposits
• Hotter and longer lasting than
firewood
Briquettes can be used in
modified ‘chulhas’ to
ensure Healthy Working
Condition for rural women

10. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Financial Details
 Costs
• Briquetting machine – INR 25 Lacs
• Dryer – INR 10 Lacs
• Agricultural waste from farmer – INR 500 per ton
• Plant Lease – INR 1 Lac per annum (Subsidized)
• Transportation – INR 500 per ton (including both agricultural waste and produced
briquettes)
• Labor – INR 5,000 per person per month (6 operators in a plant)
• Electricity – Rs. 1.5 per KWh (Subsidized)
 Revenue
• Briquettes – INR 5,000 per ton
 Throughput
• 20 tons per day from each village
• Machine capacity - 1 ton per hour
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11. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Risks and Mitigation
 People not open to new concepts
and technology
 Unorganized sector of agricultural
waste
 Lack of knowledge about
replacement of coal with biomass
briquettes
 Efficient sales strategy comprising
of proper training and active after
sales support
 Women entrepreneurs in every
village to manage collection of
waste
 Active cooperation from
government
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Risks Mitigation

12. © Bhavna Choraria | Kunal Gulati | Piyush Singh | Sonal Jain | Vikas Gujral Manthan 2013
Team
 Bhavna Choraria
• Passionate about Women rights and issues
• Currently, Women-in-Business Club President at ISB Hyderabad
 Kunal Gulati
• Experience in Consulting and Business Development
 Piyush Singh
• Extensive experience of working in Thermal plants
 Sonal Jain
• Experience in Consulting and Business Development
 Vikas Gujral
• Passionate about Clean energy solutions in developing countries
• Undergrad project on ocean wave energy was awarded by the
Cabinet Minister of Water Resources
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