SUDANESE EXPERIENCE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOMASS GASIFICATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION
As many of the developing countries in the world, Sudan depends heavily on the biomass energy sources as a major source of energy for household and traditional industries sectors. Recently, the biomass energy accounts for more than (61%) of the total energy consumption in the national energy balance. The dependence on the biomass energy sources creates serious environmental problems including desertification and climatic changes in many of the rural areas. Sudan is rich in agricultural residues in both irrigated and rain fed agricultural sectors. The country launched a new energy and environmentally sound policy to encourage the transfer of advanced sustainable biomass energy technologies. The policy is based on the optimal and efficient utilization of the available agricultural residues by the implementation of biomass renewable energy technologies. The main objectives of this paper are to highlight the filed experience on using biomass gasifier-based project for decentralized power supply for remote location in Gezira State, Sudan, and to present the challenges facing the large scale applications of the technology in the country. Three types of biomass were used: Raw Cotton Stalks, Cotton Stalks Briquettes, and Groundnut Shells Briquettes. The efficiency and the technical performance of the gasifier has been evaluated. The research concluded that gasifier could be one of the best technical option to convert agricultural biomass products into sustainable energy in rural areas. Biomass gasification proved that it is a promising technology for dementalization power generation in rural areas (Off-Grid), both because of difficulties in providing good quality grid power, and due to the wide availability of biomass even in remote villages in the country. The cotton stalks briquettes were found to be the best biomass sources for the gasification process. The obtained results give a very encouraging picture to make villages self-sufficient in their primary energy needs. It is therefore, highly recommended that, an accurate estimation of the potential biomass resources (agricultural. residues) base in Sudan, should be undertaken for implementation of a decentralized biomass gasification power plants in rural areas.