Exploring Sugarcane and Renewable Energy The Mauritius Experience

TRIP REPORT

Scientific Visit to Mauritius July 18-29, 2011

Lance White and Niconor Reece

2

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

• 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 ROLE

Central Electricity Board CEB Electricity Producer/Sector Regulator

Mauritius Sugar industry Research Institute

MSIRI

Research Organization

Flaqu United Estate Limited

FUEL Bagasse production and use + Co 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

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.

• Biofuels project being developed as a national project with a

number of stakeholders.

• The project targets the production of bioethanol from molasses.

• 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.

• 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 1 Biology 2 Agronomy 3 Engineering 4 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 genetic transformation techniques

Application of Biolostic Gun technique

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

The monitoring of annual mean temperature

Dissemination of Information on Pests and Disease

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

Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica 36 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 5

Jamaica, W.I.

Tele:(876) 929-5380-9

Sugar Industry Research Institute Kendal Rd. Mandeville

Manchester Jamaica W.I.

Tele: (876) 962-2241

1 Contact Info: niconer.reece@pcj.com

2 Contact Info: lancelot.white@jamaicasugar.org