Biomass briquettes are compressed blocks of agricultural or forest waste — rice husk, mustard straw, wood chips, sugarcane residue — formed under high pressure without any chemical binder. They are used as a fuel substitute for coal, wood, and LPG in industrial boilers, brick kilns, food processing units, and domestic cooking. Also called ‘white coal’, biomass briquettes typically produce 3,500 to 4,200 kcal/kg of heat energy with significantly lower ash and emissions than conventional solid fuels.
What Are Biomass Briquettes Made From
The raw material range is wide — which is one of the practical advantages biomass briquettes have over more specialised fuels. In Punjab and northern India, rice husk and mustard straw are the dominant feedstocks because of sheer availability. Across central and western India, cotton stalks, sugarcane bagasse, and bamboo dust are common inputs.
What matters more than the specific material is the quality of preparation. Raw material must be dried to 8 to 12% moisture content and ground to a consistent particle size before it enters the briquetting press. This preparation step is often where quality differences between briquette suppliers actually originate.
Where Biomass Briquettes Are Used
- Industrial boilers — replacing coal for steam and heat generation
- Brick kilns — lower emission profile, consistent burn temperature
- Textile and dyeing units — extended burn time suits continuous process heat
- Food processing and drying plants — cleaner fuel, food-safe ash
- Hotels, dhabas, and commercial kitchens — especially white coal for tandoors
- Gasification plants — biomass briquettes are a primary feedstock for syngas production
Biomass Briquettes vs Coal — Key Differences
Factor | Biomass Briquettes | Coal |
Calorific Value | 3,500 – 4,200 kcal/kg | 5,000 – 6,500 kcal/kg |
Ash Content | 5 – 8% | 20 – 40% |
Sulphur | Near zero | 0.5 – 3% |
CO2 Emissions | Carbon neutral (biogenic) | High fossil CO2 |
Price Stability | Stable — agri waste supply | Volatile — import-linked |
Regulatory Risk | Low — green fuel incentives | Increasing restrictions |
Why the Price Gap with Coal Is Narrowing
Five years ago, biomass briquettes made economic sense mainly for buyers already committed to cleaner operations or those in states with active biomass promotion policies. That calculation has shifted considerably. Coal prices — especially for the grades most commonly used in industrial boilers — have become less predictable, and the cost of managing ash disposal and CPCB compliance has added invisible costs to coal-based operations.
For a medium-scale industrial unit consuming 5 to 10 tonnes of fuel per day, the switch to biomass briquettes now often pays back within the first year through fuel cost savings alone — before factoring in reduced regulatory exposure and ash handling.
New Lehra Industries manufactures the machines that make biomass briquettes, and we also supply briquettes directly. Whether you’re looking to buy briquettes or set up your own production, get in touch with details of your requirement.