National Seminar on Biomass Supply Chain Management Held in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: A one-day seminar titled “National Seminar on Biomass Supply Chain Management: Challenges, Opportunities, and Developments” was held today at the MGSIPA Complex in Chandigarh. The event aimed to address the critical challenges and opportunities surrounding the efficient management of biomass supply chains in India, a key component of the country’s transition to a circular bio-economy.

Organized by the Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy Technology (SSS-NIBE), Kapurthala—an autonomous institution under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy—the seminar brought together government officials, industry representatives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and researchers. Their discussions focused on creating cost-effective and efficient biomass supply chains to support India’s growing bioenergy programs.

The seminar was inaugurated by Chief Guest Satish Upadhyay, Mission Director of SAMARTH (Sustainable Agrarian Mission on Use of Agri-Residue in Thermal Power Plants), Ministry of Power, Government of India. He was joined by Guest of Honour  Pritpal Singh, Executive Director of the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST), and Dr. G. Sridhar, Director General of SSS-NIBE.

Supply Chain Management from a Demand-Side Perspective

In his address, Satish Upadhyay emphasized the need to approach biomass supply chain management from the demand side. He highlighted the importance of creating market-driven mechanisms to increase biomass demand, citing the environmental and social benefits of biomass utilization in India. Upadhyay also discussed the SAMARTH Mission’s success in biomass co-firing for power generation, which has contributed to higher biomass usage.

Harnessing Biomass Through Modern Bioenergy Pathways

Pritpal Singh, focused on the logistical challenges related to biomass storage, supply to industries, and leakage management. He urged stakeholders to collaborate in harnessing the potential of biomass through modern bioenergy technologies, emphasizing the need to make biomass cost-effective for industrial use.

Critical Role of Supply Chain Management in Bioenergy Programs

Dr. G. Sridhar, Director General of SSS-NIBE, stressed the importance of efficient biomass supply chain management for the success of bioenergy programs in India. He briefed the participants on the institute’s ongoing research in the bio-energy sector and discussed how advancements in supply chain management could facilitate the broader adoption of bioenergy solutions across the country.

Additionally, Maganbir Singh from PSCST delivered a presentation on the challenges of paddy utilization in Punjab, focusing on the current pathways for managing paddy straw and the opportunities for using it as a valuable resource.