Evaluation of advanced biomass technologies for rural energy supply

Gasifier-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)-Microturbine system is a potential modern biomass energy supply system which will not only meet cooking and electrical energy demands of rural remote and isolated communities of tropical countries but also provide solutions to other major challenges such as water and food shortages faced by these communities. This article describes a backcasting experiment that is used as a tool to evaluate the social, technical and economic feasibility and potential barriers for implementation of Gasifier-SOFC-Microturbine systems. Thus the steps which could lead to their full implementation and realization in the nearby future are identified and characterized. Modeling with software package “Cycle tempo” is used to generate models that give an insight in the technical feasibility of such systems. A Bounded Social Technical Experiment (BSTE) is designed for Kodur community in India as a pilot project to initiate this modern technology with the goal of stakeholders' involvement and capacity building such that they can fully support and contribute to the technology's future development, implementation and extension.