Project full name

Usha Martin Limited- Waste Heat Recovery Based Captive Power Project activity

CDM Project number

O696

Description

The project activity is a steel and iron-ore plant, which is utilizing heat energy of the waste gas of the Direct Reduction Iron (DRI) kiln to generate electricity for in- house consumption. The electricity produced by recovery of heat energy is a cleaner source of energy to meet the partial power requirements of Usha Martin Limited plant than being totally dependent on the grid supply, which to a large extent is fed by fossil fuels.

Report summary

Key promises made by project proponents:

• project activity has excellent environmental benefits in terms of coal resource conservation and in terms of carbon emission reductions due to substitution of electricity supplied by the captive generation from fossil fuel conserve natural resources
• local pollution abatement in form of avoiding fly ash generation, avoiding land pollution due to burden of ever-increasing volume of vaste in landfills, water contamination problems arising from landfill leaching
• reduction of dust emission level
• analysis of the environmental impacts:
• the project activity has no negative impact on the ambient air quality

Situation on the ground:

The project activity causes high amounts of dust, opposing the promise given in the Project Design Document (PDD) to contribute to the reduction of the dust emission level. Concerns about health impacts are given, as level of dust pollution is so intense that even the visibility is affected. The Usha Martin plant is part of a large industrial belt that causes a decrease of ground water, which has negative influence on agricultural productivity and therefore creates more dependency of the local population on the industry.

Project participants

• India:
• Usha Martin Limited

• UK:
•  Noble Carbon Credit Limited

• Switzerland:
•  J.P. Morgan Ventures Energy Corporation

Registration date

23. December 2006

Carbon credits issued to date

157.743

Exact location

Jamshedpur Jharkhand
India

Relevant links at UNFCCC website

PDD
host country letter of approval
validation report

Sustainable development benefits

social well-being

sustainable development benefits according to claims made by project developers:

• contribution to small increase in local employment in area of skilled jobs for operation and maintenance of equipment

sustainable development benefits according to reports:

Jobs 

• Usha Martin gave employment to large number of local villagers
• workers are hired as daily contractors on daily wages of Rs. 150-200 for 8 working hours
• for overtime, labours get a additional 50% wage (Rs. 75-100)
• for some time now, company stopped hiring local villagers, calling labours from outside the state
• more clarity is needed in terms of companies labour requirements

Health and Safety

• enhancing health services:
• villagers are concerned about emission impacts on their health
• no health facilities available, only a private doctor from Jamshedpur is visiting the area 2-3 times a week
• company has own medical facility within premises for employees, villagers not permitted to use service

Welfare 

• community upliftment:
• less water availabiltity decreases agricultural productivity, which makes population more dependend on industry
• decrease in ground water table not only through Usha Martin Limited, but also 25 other companies in vicinity

economic well-being

sustainable development benefits according to claims made by project developers:

• energy efficiency improvement
• reduction energy wastage (in form of heat energy from waste gas)
• improve coal availability for other sectors

environmental well-being

sustainable development benefits according to claims made by project developers:

• project activity has excellent environmental benefits in terms of coal resource conservation and in terms of carbon emission reductions due to substitution of electricity supplied by the captive generation from fossil fuel conserve natural resources
• coal resource conservation
• reduction of GHG emissions
• local pollution abatement in form of avoiding fly ash generation, avoiding land pollution due to burden of ever-increasing volume of vaste in landfills, water contamination problems arising from landfill leaching
• reduction heat energy release to atmosphere and recovery of waste heat to generate steam
• reduction of dust emission level
• reduction of liquid effluents

sustainable development benefits according to reports:

Air 

• dust:
• reduction of exhaust gas released into atmosphere
• sponge iron plant is a coal based plant creating large amount of dust emitted in atmosphere
• emitted dust impacts visibility
• company representative admits high level of dust and attributes it to the old technology and dust collection system

• noise:
• company responsible for 2-3 siren’s wailing a day, which continue for 5 mintes each

Water

• accessibility of water:
• decrease of water availability in terms of rain fall and ground water, hampering agriculture due to water irrigation
• decreased water availability and supply of wells as water turns salty
• drinking water needs have to be met through hand pumps
• due to large industrial belt ground water level decreases
• company representative admits the use of bore-wells to meet water requirements for project activity
• decreasing ground water level cannot solely be attributed to the CDM project activity

Natural resources 

• protecting natural ressources:
• reduction of coal based energy production

Sources and Materials

Sources

• fiield visit report Laya

Organisations working on project

• Laya

Last update

03.12.2014