The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Prevention (GEP) project to assist India's power sector development and to reduce GHG emissions. The Alternative Bagasse Cogeneration (ABC) component of the GEP project aims at reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions per unit of electricity generated by encouraging high efficiency cogeneration and efficient use of biomass fuels for year-round operation of cogeneration projects. These objectives were to be accomplished by (i) providing financial assistance and matching grants to implementing sugar mills for their cogeneration projects; (ii) providing technical assistance by conducting training programs, workshops; and (iii) disseminating technical information through newsletters and conferences.

WII has provided technical assistance services, training and outreach with the help of NETL and SAIC. The specific activities that WII implemented are aimed at providing access to more information and capacity building of the sugar and related industry in India.

These activities included the following:

• Disseminate information on national and international experiences on high efficiency bagasse cogeneration, including those under GEP-ABC component through newsletters
• Develop a program of study tours and professional development for Indian sugar mill cogenerators, technical personnel, and related institutions and professionals
• Design and conduct annual seminars/workshops/training programs/business meets
• Monitor performance of GEP-ABC grantee sugar mill cogeneration projects and provide technical assistance as needed

The end-of-the-project outputs included the following:

• This project has conducted over 20 training programs, regional and national workshops, conferences, and study tours to promote high efficiency cogeneration in sugar mills in India
• Through 15 issues of the Cane Cogen India newsletter, Outreach has been very successful in disseminating information to all stakeholders
• From a private investment perspective, the ABC component has been a phenomenal success in India as nine private sugar mills invested to establish nine cogeneration projects with a total installed cogeneration capacity of approximately 200 MW. These sugar mills are currently generating 500 million kWh of electricity, offsetting 550,000 metric ton of GHG emissions annually. The GHG emissions reductions benefit will be fully realized in 2003 when all the nine sugar mills operate at full capacity
• Encouraged by the success of these demonstration projects, many more sugar mills in India are implementing high efficiency cogeneration projects