Uttar Pradesh boasts of largest organised sugar industry supporting 4 million farmers’ families. Industries such molasses, bagasse, power and many others are supported by sugarcane, whose annual economy is estimated to be more than Rs 30,000 crore.
As per industry sources, it is estimated that around 8,000-9,000 MW of energy can be generated through co-generation route. Currently there are about 125 operational sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh both in private and co-operative sector. Co-generation units based on bagasse are operational in many a sugar mills. But still some of them are also using coal-fired thermal power units attached to their complexes.