ABB to Automate Bagasse Cogeneration Plant in India

ABB is supplying System 800xA extended automation system, power systems and instrumentation for a cogeneration plant in Karnataka state, southern India. Sri Chamundeswari Sugars is building the 26 MW plant (of which 18 MW will be an exportable surplus) at its factory. Power comes from burning bagasse, the fibrous residue remaining when sugarcane is crushed to make sugar.

System 800xA incorporates many automation functions, including the mills’ process automation systems, in a single operations and engineering environment. The great advantage of a bagasse cogeneration plant is that it provides a stable and reliable source of electricity and steam to power the mill and sugar refining process. Significant revenues are generated by selling surplus energy to the grid, production costs are reduced by using fuel (bagasse) that is available onsite and at virtually zero cost, and production downtime caused by grid outages is eliminated. ABB says it has received a number of recent orders to equip bagasse cogeneration plants for sugar mills in India.