05.27.09Ravi Soparkar, Senior Consultant, Super Consultants, Inc.

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Introduction

India is facing an acute energy scarcity which is hampering its industrial growth and economic progress. Setting up of new power plants is inevitably dependent on import of highly volatile fossil fuels. Thus, it is essential to tackle the energy crisis through judicious utilization of abundant the renewable energy resources, such as biomass energy, solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy. Apart from augmenting the energy supply, renewable resources will help India in mitigating climate change. India is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its energy needs. Most of the power generation is carried out by coal and mineral oil-based power plants which contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions.

The average per capita consumption of energy in India is around 500 W, which is much lower than that of developed countries like the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc. However, this figure is expected to rise sharply due to high economic growth and rapid industrialization. The consumption of electricity is growing on the worldwide basis. Energy is a necessity and sustainable renewable energy is a vital link in the industrialization and development of India. A transition from conventional energy systems to those based on renewable resources is necessary to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy and to address environmental concerns.

A Glance at Renewable Energy Sources in India

Solar Energy: Solar power, a clean renewable resource with zero emission, has got tremendous potential as energy which can be harnessed using a variety of devices. With recent developments, solar energy systems are easily available for industrial and domestic use with the added advantage of minimum maintenance. Solar energy could be made financially viable with government tax incentives and rebates.

An exclusive solar generation system of capacity of 250 KWh units per month would cost around $105,045 USD, with present pricing and taxes. Most of the developed countries are switching over to solar energy as one of the prime renewable energy sources. The current architectural designs make provision for photovoltaic cells and necessary circuitry while making building plans.

Wind Power: Wind power is one of the most efficient alternative energy sources. There has been good deal of development in wind turbine technology over the past decade with many new companies joining the fray. Wind turbines have become larger, efficiencies and availabilities have improved and wind farm concept has become popular. It could be combined with solar, especially for a total self-sustainability project.

The economics of wind energy is already strong, despite the relative immaturity of the industry. The downward trend in wind energy costs is predicted to continue. As the world market in wind turbines continues to boom, wind turbine prices will continue to fall. India now ranks as a "wind superpower" having a net potential of about 45,000 MW only from 13 identified states.

Hydroelectric Power: India has a huge hydro power potential, out of which around 20 percent has been realized so far. New hydro projects are facing serious resistance from environmentalists. Resettlement of the displaced people (and their lands) displaced by these projects becomes a major issue.

Biomass: Biomass energy can play a major role in reducing India's reliance on fossil fuels by making use of thermo-chemical conversion technologies. In addition, the increased utilization of biomass-based fuels will be instrumental in safeguarding the environment, creating new job opportunities, sustainable development and health improvements in rural areas. Biomass energy could also aid in modernizing the agricultural economy. A large amount of energy is expended in the cultivation and processing of crops like sugar cane, food grains, vegetables and fruits which can be recovered by utilizing energy-rich residues for energy production. The integration of biomass-fueled gasifiers and coal-fired energy generation would be advantageous in terms of improved flexibility in response to fluctuations in biomass availability with lower investment costs.

Waste-to-energy plants offer two important benefits of environmentally sound waste management and disposal, as well as the generation of clean electric power. Waste-to-energy facilities produce clean, renewable energy through thermo-chemical, biochemical and physico-chemical methods. Moreover, waste-to-energy plants are highly efficient in harnessing the untapped sources of energy from a variety of wastes.

Decentralized Energy Generation in India

Microgeneration, also called "micropower", is the generation of zero- or low-carbon electrical power by individuals, small businesses and communities to meet their own needs. The most widely used microgeneration technologies include small wind turbines, solar power photovoltaic or biomass conversion systems that have been promoted for decades as alternative sources of renewable energy. Because of technological advances, microgeneration now includes handheld solar and wind-power recharging devices for personal electronics, as well as advanced photovoltaic, biomass and wind-turbine systems for domestic and industrial power generation.

Traditional "megapower" production of electricity is insufficient today because of exponential industrial growth and high living standards. Microgeneration can act as a catalyst for cultural changes in consumer attitude, and provides evidence of the important impact that microgeneration has on consumers' attitudes and behavior regarding energy production and use. Microgeneration is both a serious form of clean energy production and also a cultural movement that is gathering momentum worldwide. Microgeneration technologies include small wind turbines, biomass gasifiers, solar power, micro-hydro, or a combination of these technologies. Prima-facie renewable energy may appear a bit costlier than the conventional sources of energy, but looking at the benefit of continuous power availability and great contribution against global warming, it is worth the extra cost.

Industrialized countries like the United States, Australia and Japan have formulated action plans to foster sustainable energy to make judicious use of renewable energy resources. For example, the U.S. has announced a massive renewable energy program to generate a large share of its total energy requirement from renewable energy sources by 2025, which will create five million new job opportunities in various areas of renewable energy.

Proposed Guidelines for Power Consumers in India

• Explore all possibilities to set up an independent power plant making use of renewable resources like solar, wind and biomass.
• Use of government/utility electricity supply, only in case of emergency.
• Energy savings by using low wattage/high luminous lamps (CFL/LED).
• Use of power factor improvers.
• Regular maintenance and servicing of electrical equipment.
• Avoidance of inverters and large storage batteries (except in emergencies).
• Intelligent power factor correctors to minimize energy losses in capacitors at lower load conditions.
• Frequent energy audits.

Proposed Guidelines for Policy Makers in India

• Vigorous promotion of renewable energy by government agencies, corporate, public sector, academic institutions, etc.
• Establishment of a national-level body to increase awareness of renewable energy at grass-roots level.
• Financial support and sponsorship for research and development in renewable energy technologies.
• Ambitious goals and targets for power generation non-conventional sources.
• Installation of solar/wind/biomass power generation systems and energy savings in every government offices to encourage and inspire people.
• Restriction on using large battery energy storage systems.
• Compulsory installation of solar water heating systems for all urban residential and commercial establishments.
• Mandatory renewable energy systems provision for new residential, commercial and industrial buildings.
• Attractive incentives and subsidies for installation and successful operation of renewable energy equipment.
• Abolishing duties/taxes on import of small-scale renewable energy generating equipment.
• Cultivation of energy crops on marginal and degraded land.
• Use of biofuels in vehicles.
• Soft loans for setting up renewable energy enterprises.
• Additional incentives for buyers and manufacturers of renewable energy equipments in rural areas.

Guidelines for Research Professionals

• Development of comprehensive educational and awareness modules for renewable energy systems.
• Development of cost-effective, high-efficiency and long-lasting photovoltaic cells.
• Development of high-efficiency wind turbines, ranging from 300 W to 10 kW, to generate energy even at low wind velocity.
• Development of small-scale, low maintenance biomass gasifiers to make use of abundant biomass resources in rural areas for cogeneration.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need for transition from petroleum-based energy systems to one based on renewable resources to decrease reliance on depleting reserves of fossil fuels and to mitigate climate change. In addition, renewable energy has the potential to create many employment opportunities at all levels, especially in rural areas. With an emphasis on presenting the real picture of massive renewable energy potential, it would be possible to attract foreign investments to herald a Green Energy Revolution in India.

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Reader's Comments

Date	Comment
Don Hirschberg 6.2.09	I suspect arithmetic would show that considering the present profound deficiencies in base load power supply and rapidly increasing demand that the relatively puny renewable sources of energy touted would be completely swamped. I read that India is having difficulty in buying enough coal to keep existing power plants going and must open new domestic mines. Hardly the stuff of going green. I fail to see how wind and solar power makes much sense for India, lacking base load capacity. It’s bad enough to have diurnal variations but in India I suspect serious seasonal variations as well. It is a taboo to mention but India already has far too many people and is still growing, expected to overtake the Chinese in a few years.
Don Hirschberg 6.3.09	Further to my previous comment: According to a graph posted on the Oil Drum, by Gail the Actuary, 5/31/09, the costs of a kwh by fuel reads as follows: Coal $0.02, Natural gas 0.03, Natural gas when costly in 2008 0.08, New onshore wind 0.13, and New offshore wind 0.22. I can’t vouch for the precision of these numbers but surely wind-generated (so called free energy?) is much more expensive than from coal or natural gas - and by a large margin.
bill payne 6.4.09	fast neutron Santa Fe, NM January 12, 2009 From actual experience, wind farms produce 1.2 watts per square meter. Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic methods capture 5 to 6 watts per square meter. There is no economy of size in either technology. Dividing the watts you need by those values gives the land area in square meters needed to produce the juice. The numbers are astronomical http://www.topix.net/forum/source/santa-fe-new-mexican/T0QVJ5UD3R25C8HRL Chairman, President and CEO Questar Corporation Keith O. Rattie said on April 2, 2009 Why did my generation fail to develop wind and solar? Because our energy choices are ruthlessly ruled, not by political judgments, but by the immutable laws of thermodynamics. In engineer-speak, turning diffused sources of energy such as photons in sunlight or the kinetic energy in wind requires massive investment to concentrate that energy into a form that's usable on any meaningful scale. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/pnmelectric/donbrown/rattie.htm In 1959 we used a small fraction of the BTUs we use today. Fewer campus buildings. Less square feet per building. Little or no air conditioning. No electronic devices. Cars were discouraged. We walked. Class of 1909 probably used less BTUs than our class of 1959. And we suspect that the class of 2009 will use fewer BTUs than the class of 1959. Further we suspect that the class of 2059 will use fewer BTUs than the class of 2009 - if it exists. http://home.comcast.net/~bpayne37/whitman59/whitman59after.htm#monday
Len Gould 6.7.09	Bill: Problem is, sooner or later the N Gas (and even the coal) must run out. Are you arguing that the class of 2109 will use more N Gas than class of 1959? Could you clarify what class you're discussing? I might agree with you if you're dicsussing only the upper class.
Len Gould 6.7.09	Biggest problem in the US is that the PTB have somehow convinced everyone that they're soon going to be "among the rich minority", an obviously facile proposition.
Jalaludin Hashim 10.1.09	Why not try the hydroelectricity generation using the re-cycled sea-water? It sure could help as it could generate massive electricity power. Good Luck!
john Marsh 5.10.10	I'm not the type of guy to look at my past and wish I could be back there. By and large, I'm happy where I am right now, despite the Minnesota Wild continuing to choke in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (something is most certainly rotten in the State of Hockey). However, I do sometimes lament the fact that today's technology wasn't available to me when I had the time, ambition and friends required to have myself some good adventures. Add to this list, now, the combination of a MacBook and MacJournal 5, because the two work perfectly for the young Mac user living the type of adventure worthy of documenting.That's not to say MacJournal's not useful for everyone else, of course. I've used it quite effectively for organizing my stories and ideas for a while now, and it's become an important part of my writing process. For each project on which I'm working, I create a journal entry of ideas, snippets of dialogue, etc. I also have a journal of good bits that don't necessarily have a home yet, and one specifically for where I have used ideas I like. The latter is tremendously helpful for making sure I don't use the same joke twice, for example, or for determining whether I can because the first use will fade into oblivion. ================================== lsat practice test ===== mcat practice test ===== mft practice test ===== naplex practice test

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