With about 20 biomass-based power projects generating 183 MW at Sirsa, Panipat, Karnal, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Nilokheri, Jagadhari, Khanesar and Dabwali, the people of Haryana can be assured of lesser power cuts. As the projects are being set up at the sites of the load centres, the power supply is expected to increase in these blocks, with transmission losses going down in a big way. Confirming this, officials of Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) said since the state is purchasing massive power from other states, it has to bear huge transmission losses. "But with these projects located at the load centres, there will be minimal transmission losses,' said a senior official. Inching towards the target of achieving a minimum of 10 per cent (500 MW) of the total capacity addition of 5,000 MW of conventional power to be generated through renewable energy power projects by 2012, the Haryana government is promoting private participation in the fields of biomass, solar, wind energy, small hydro and co-generation biomass power projects. Where on one hand solar power projects have attracted industry majors such as Reliance Industries Ltd, Albina Power, ACME Telepower, Epuron Renewable Energy Power, on the other hand about 20 biomass-based power projects have been assigned to private players by the Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA). Divulging details about the projects, Sumita Misra, Director of HAREDA, told The Indian Express, "The detailed project reports of these 20 sites in different blocks for 183 MW have been approved by the state government and now the companies will go in for power purchase agreement with the state utilities. These projects will catalyse investments of over Rs 780 crore, the average cost for setting up 1 MW project being Rs 4-4.5 crore. The projects are likely to be commissioned by middle of 2009. The Haryana government will act as a facilitator charging one-time processing fee of Rs 1 lakh per MW at the time of signing the MoU. But the projects will be developed with investments from private parties only.' The companies which have been assigned the biomass-based power projects, include New Delhi-based Star Wire India which has bagged four projects of 8 MW each and one project of 5 MW; M/s Turboatom TPS Haryana Projects who have got five projects of 12 MW each; Chennai-based Techpro Energy with two projects of 7.5 MW each; Hyderabad-based M/s Jyoti Biomass Energy with two projects of 7.5 MW and a consortium of M/s Gammon India & Bermaco Energy from Mumbai to set up six projects of 56 MW. Jyoti Biomass Energy is already running biomass-based power projects in Andhra Pradesh, whereas Turboatom TPS Haryana Projects has bagged biomass power projects in Punjab and Maharashtra. All these firms have hired consultants and are getting into power generation through biomass actively. Sumita added, "The tariff fixed by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission at Rs 4 per unit with 2 per cent annual escalation for five years is the highest so far in the country. We had put up a plea regarding the rising land as well as biomass costs in Haryana and HERC then fixed up this tariff. Another major hurdle seems to be the collection of biomass, its storage and availability in the future.' As on March 31, biomass-based power projects of 524 MW were operational in the country. Haryana has a potential for generation of about 1,200 MW of power through biomass. "Keeping in mind the immense potential, HERC has notified in its tariff order that transmission expenses of up to 10 km will be borne by the state utilities and beyond that the distributors and utilities will share the expenses equally,' said Sumita.