Energy for rural development: a case study in Bihar, India

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6795846

Hurst, C

This thesis analyses the feasibility of various sources of energy for the development of agriculture on the Indian subcontinent. There is a large potential for futher use of groundwater for irrigation in the northeast Indian plains and this study examines the trade-off between the benefits to agriculture of irrigation and the costs of the energy and equipment required for pumping. A linear programming model has been developed to predict the general equilibrium state of the economy of Pulkahi, a typical poor village in the Indian State of Bihar. This model has been used to predict the effects on agricultural production of various technological endowments. Four different methods of pumping water were considered in detail. These were: diesel engines fueled with diesel oil, diesel engines with biogas plants fueled with dung, diesel engines with gasifiers fueled with residues or wood, and animal powered pumps. Gasifiers convert wood or residues to a combustible gas (primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide) through a process of partial combustion. Biogas plants use anaerobic decomposition to produce methane. Only small size pumps suitable for use by individual farmers, or small cooperatives were considered. As most biomass is already used for some purpose (e.g. fertilizer, fuel) special attention was given to the balance of nitrogen within the village system.

• OSTI ID: 6795846
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320301* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Energy Sources
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
AGRICULTURE
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
ASIA
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
BIOREACTORS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIESEL ENGINES
DIESEL FUELS
DIGESTION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINES
FARMS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FERTILIZERS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
GAS GENERATORS
GASIFICATION
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
INDIA
INDUSTRY
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
MANURES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METHANE
NITROGEN CYCLE
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PROCESSING
PUMPS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RURAL AREAS
SIZE
SOLID WASTES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
WOOD
WOOD WASTES