How big is the Bihar brick sector, which kilns do they use, and how much energy goes into a brick?

Bihar has about 6,600 kilns making nearly 19.7 billion bricks a year on about 2.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent. Firing is mainly Bull's Trench Kilns, with limited zig-zag and vertical shaft kilns, on coal and biomass. That is roughly 132 g of oil equivalent a brick, well above Punjab's 79 g.

The sector in numbers

• About 6,600 kilns.
• Nearly 19.7 billion bricks a year.
• Total energy about 2.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent a year.
• Mostly manual production, with some extruders.
• Firing mainly in Bull's Trench Kilns, with limited zig-zag and vertical shaft brick kilns.
• Coal and biomass are the main fuels.

Who speaks for the sector

The Bihar Brick Manufacturers Association and the All India Brick and Tile Manufacturers Federation.

Why the gap matters

On these totals Bihar uses about two thirds more energy per brick than Punjab. A kiln owner here has more room to cut fuel, and a lender or buyer has a reason to ask what the kiln is doing about it.

Energy per brick, from the sector totals (estimate)

• 2.6 million toe is 2.6 billion kg of oil equivalent.
• 2.6 billion divided by 19.7 billion bricks = about 0.132 kg, or 132 g, per brick.
• 132 divided by 79 for Punjab = about 1.7, so roughly two thirds more.

Rounded totals from SIDBI's assessment of the brick sector, so treat the per-brick figure as an estimate.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads coal, biomass, diesel and power bills into verified emission records for a kiln, so you can state a footprint per thousand bricks from your own documents. Verified here means rule checks passed against the evidence, not third-party assurance.

• Brick kilns by state: count, fuel and energy
• SIDBI green loan for a fly ash brick unit
• MSME carbon number

Sources: SIDBI, ESIA and ESMP for direct financing, brick kiln sector

Last reviewed 2026-11-04.