Pakistan is set to take an important step toward cleaner industrial energy after the British government awarded £1.25 million to academics at Northumbria University to develop the country’s first full-scale plant converting agricultural waste into clean energy. The project aims to turn crop residues that are often burned or discarded into a useful alternative fuel.
Turning Crop Waste Into Energy
The project, known as Safer Plus, is being led by Northumbria University’s School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics. It will focus on converting agricultural residues, particularly cotton stalks and sugarcane waste, into biofuel.
Every year, millions of tonnes of agricultural waste are produced across Punjab. A significant amount is burned in fields because farmers have limited options for disposing of the material or selling it.
The practice contributes to air pollution and seasonal smog, particularly during periods when crop residues are burned across agricultural areas.
The new facility aims to provide an alternative by creating a commercial market for this waste and transforming it into a source of industrial energy.
Producing Bio-Coal Pellets
At the heart of the project is a process known as torrefaction. Through controlled heating, agricultural waste will be converted into bio-coal pellets.
These pellets could potentially replace imported coal in industries such as brick manufacturing and textile production.
According to the project team, the alternative fuel could cost between 40% and 50% less than imported coal, creating potential savings for industries while also reducing dependence on overseas energy supplies.
Dr Jibran Khaliq, one of the academics involved in the project, highlighted the scale of Pakistan’s coal imports and the amount of agricultural waste currently being burned.
The project therefore aims to address two problems at the same time: reducing agricultural pollution and developing a locally produced industrial fuel.
Supporting Rural Women
An important part of the agricultural waste energy project is its focus on rural women.
A women-led biomass cooperative will collect and supply agricultural waste to the facility. The initiative is expected to provide a new source of income for households in South Punjab.
According to Northumbria University, women in rural communities can spend several hours each day collecting fuelwood and may also work without formal payment on family farms.
The project plans to change this by creating a formal market for agricultural waste.
More than 120 households located near the planned plant are expected to receive income from materials that farmers currently have to dispose of.
At least 60% of training opportunities will be reserved for women. Payments will also be made directly into women’s mobile wallets, allowing them to maintain independent control over their earnings.
Benefits for Pakistan’s Industry
Pakistan relies heavily on imported fuels to meet industrial energy requirements. The proposed agricultural waste energy project could help reduce this dependence by creating a domestic source of alternative fuel.
The textile industry is among the sectors that could benefit from bio-coal pellets.
Three Pakistani textile manufacturers have already signed letters of commitment to test the fuel in their boilers. Their participation could provide valuable evidence about how effectively agricultural waste can replace conventional coal in industrial applications.
If the trials prove successful, the model could potentially be expanded to other factories and industries.
From Research to Commercial Production
Project leaders say the initiative is different from a conventional laboratory research project because it is designed around a functioning commercial facility.
The research team has reportedly spent six years developing the necessary knowledge and technology. The next stage is to demonstrate that the system can operate at full scale and create a commercially viable business.
This approach could be particularly important for Pakistan because successful deployment would allow the country to develop and expand the technology locally rather than relying permanently on imported solutions.
The plant could also become a model for similar facilities in other agricultural regions.
Tackling Smog and Pollution
Punjab regularly faces severe air pollution, with agricultural burning contributing to seasonal smog. Finding productive uses for crop residues could reduce the amount of waste being burned in fields.
The agricultural waste energy project could therefore provide environmental benefits beyond its energy output.
Instead of treating cotton stalks and sugarcane waste as unwanted material, farmers could view them as a valuable resource. This could encourage better waste management while creating additional income opportunities.
A Potential New Energy Model
The British government’s funding provides an opportunity to move the project from research into practical implementation.
If the plant achieves its targets, Pakistan could gain a new model for producing industrial fuel from locally available agricultural resources.
The agricultural waste energy project combines several objectives: reducing pollution, cutting fuel-import costs, supporting rural communities and creating opportunities for women.
With textile companies already preparing to test the bio-coal fuel, the project now has a direct connection to Pakistan’s industrial sector. Its success could determine whether similar plants can be developed across the country, potentially turning a major agricultural waste problem into a valuable source of cleaner domestic energy.
