Context: NVVN (NTPC VidyutVyapar Nigam), a wholly-owned subsidiary company of NTPC Ltd, launched the Green Charcoal Hackathon.
About the Green Charcoal Hackathon

• It is a technology challenge with an aim to fast-track technology developments conducted by NVVN in partnership with EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd – a 100% govt. owned energy service company).

The purpose of the event is to leverage the innovative Indian mind to bridge the technology gap, with the prime objective to:

• Clean the air by eliminating farm fire, producing renewable energy out of the agro residue.
• Promote local entrepreneurship.
• Increase the income of the farmers.
• The ultimate goals is to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation.
• At the end of the hackathon, the organisers hope to come up with an economical and commercially viable machine that can convert agro residue to charcoal without emissions.
• This is expected to benefit farmers as well as the environment.

Background

• The increasing air pollution due to the burning of stubble and agro residue by local farmers has become a major concern for the country. As a result, NVVN is looking for technologies to convert the agricultural waste to a form that can be used in the power plants in the form of the Green Charcoal Hackathon. One such option is torrefaction which converts the agro residue to green charcoal.
• The technology to produce torrefied fuel using agro residue biomass is not easily accessible to small entrepreneurs due to the higher cost of imported machines, lack of sufficient manufacturers.
• The technology to produce torrefied fuel using agro residue biomass once developed in India will be made accessible to small entrepreneurs.