Vedanta Power has expanded its waste-to-energy model in Punjab at the Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) plant in Mansa to reduce open-field crop residue burning. TSPL has integrated torrefied biomass into existing boilers while maintaining dispatch reliability. The plant co-fired the equivalent of zero point three two nine million tonnes (mn t) of torrefied biomass in fiscal year 2026.

The plant achieved an average biomass co-firing rate of five point one six per cent in fiscal year 2026, exceeding requirements set by the Commission for Air Quality Management. CAQM norms require thermal plants within a 300 km radius of Delhi to co-fire biomass with coal to curb emissions and address seasonal stubble burning. Company statements framed the work as an operational response to those imperatives.

The model sources paddy straw from local farmers and converts it into torrefied biomass pellets for use as an alternative fuel in thermal generation, reducing the incentive to burn residue. Vedanta Power reported engagement of around 3,800 farmers in the Mansa region and facilitated collection of zero point eight mn t of paddy straw. The supply chain arrangements aim to ensure fuel quality and steady throughput.

The company estimated that co-firing in fiscal year 2026 yielded a reduction equivalent to zero point four mn t of carbon dioxide emissions, reflecting the climate benefit of partial substitution of coal. Vedanta Power, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, said sustainability is embedded in operations and that biomass integration seeks to enable a cleaner thermal power transition while maintaining reliable power supply. Executives presented the initiative as aligned with wider efforts to reduce regional air pollution.

Officials said the initiative provides farmers with an additional income stream for crop residue and strengthens regional waste-to-energy practices by formalising collection and procurement. The company framed the Talwandi Sabo work as a model that could be adopted by other plants to address seasonal pollution episodes. Observers said operationalising such supply chains is central to long-term reductions in stubble burning.