DECLARATION I, Ashwani Gupta hereby declare that the project Potential of Renewable Energy in Rural areas of Punjab and

difficulties in its implementation undertaken during my summer placement at the NABARD as the partial fulfillment of the Master of Business Administration (Infrastructure) degree at TERI University, New Delhi, is the original work done by me and the information provided in the study is authentic to the best of my knowledge. The facts and figures provided are true and information is not copied from anywhere. The study has not been submitted to any other institution or university for the award of any other degree.

Ashwani Gupta

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Preface
The importance of energy is expressed by our Prime Minister as Energy is an important input for economic development. Since exhaustible energy sources in the country are limited, there is an urgent need to focus attention on development of renewable energy sources and use of efficient technologies. The exploitation and development of various forms of energy and making energy available at affordable rates is one of four major thrust areas. Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India All Indian`s today facing the heat of soaring fuel cost. Still our Oil Marketing companies are in loss. The only reason is that huge subsidy provided by our government for LPG, Kerosene and Diesel. International oil and gas prices are achieving higher and higher level. As fossil fuels are scarce resources, it is natural that fossil fuels alone cant meet the energy needs of growing population. India is the second highly populated country after China. But compared to developed country and even China our per capita energy consumption is low. The current per capita commercial primary energy consumption in India is about 350 kgoe/year which is well below that of developed countries. It is just 4% of USA and 20% of the world average. Percapita Electricity consumption in India is 631 kwh compared to 16279 in Canada, 8076 in Japan, 12924 in USA , 8176 in Singapore and 10720 in Australia etc. World average of 2500 kWh. Higher per capita consumption reflects high level of economic and social development. However, Indias Energy demand is also increasing day by day. Punjab is one of the most advanced states of India. Its agriculture practices also highly mechanized. Punjab irrigation system is either through canals or through tube wells. In Punjab about 9.35 lacs numbers of tubewell installed as on year 2001. So agriculture is one of the major consumers of electricity. If electricity is not available than the farmers have to use DG

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sets. As diesel price is also increased subsequently not only the profit margins of farmers decreasing but it also contributes to food inflation. As far as Punjabs own power generation is concerned, availability of power from the States Own Resources by 2010 is 23000 million kwh of Power and the anticipated demand for power is 34000 million kwh. The population of Punjab is increasing so subsequently energy demand will increase. Also power demand is increasing as more and more people are using electrical and electronics goods. Punjab already exploits Hydro sources to the maximum. Its location is not favoring for Coal or Oil & Gas based power plants, as transportation of fuel also cost is much, the availability of land for big thermal power plants is also an issue as Punjabs maximum land is fertile and used for agriculture. In such a scenario renewable and non-conventional energy is best suited for Punjab. Punjab has sufficient agro and bio waste, that can be utilized for producing both electricity and cooking fuel. Solar- energy is also the suitable for Punjab. Also since per capita income of Punjab is high it can afford also, as at present solar technology is costly.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT A project is never an endeavor of a single person who bears the credit, but it is an outcome of joint effort of several people. So it is my moral responsibility to acknowledge the help, I have received, though it is impossible to account the invaluable assistance driven from each and every person. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of late Shri S C Kaushik, CGM (Punjab) NABARD for selecting me and provided me the chance to work with NABARD. I would like to very special thanks to Mr. D K Mazumdar, AGM NABARD my mentor for this project from the depth of my heart for his inspiring suggestion and constructive criticism throughout the course of this study and believing in my capabilities to do the due project work. The generous support from Mr. Surinder Singh, DDM Amritsar NABARD particularly helped in arranging the in-depth interview with various officials and farmers. I would also like to show my gratitude to my friends who have been always with me throughout the study work to extend out their selfless help in getting me the project work completed. I would thank all the villagers and their families who discuss the matter and share their valuable views.

Ashwani Gupta

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ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS 1. BPGP: biogas based Power generation programme 2. DDM: District Development Manager 3. DG: Diesel Generator 4. Kgoe: kilogram of oil equivalent 5. MNRE: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy 6. NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 7. NRSE: New and Renewable Sources of Energy 8. OMC: Oil Marketing Companies 9. PEDA: Punjab Energy Development Agency 10. PNB: Punjab National Bank 11. RES: Renewable Energy Sources 12. RET: Rural Energy Technologies 13. RIDF: Rural Infrastructure Development Fund 14. SHS: Solar Housing System

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About NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Head Office: Plot No. C-24, G Block, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (E) Mumbai 400051. Website : www.nabard.org Establishment: 12 July, 1982

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Mission Promoting sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development through effective credit support, related services, institution building and other innovative initiatives. In pursuing this mission, NABARD focuses its activities on: Credit functions, involving preparation of potential-linked credit plans annually for all districts of the country for identification of credit potential, monitoring the flow of ground level rural credit, issuing policy and operational guidelines to rural financing institutions and providing credit facilities to eligible institutions under various programmes Development functions, concerning reinforcement of the credit functions and making credit more productive Supervisory functions, ensuring the proper functioning of cooperative banks and regional rural banks

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History and Genesis of NABARD NABARD is set up as an apex Development Bank with a mandate for facilitating credit flow for promotion and development of agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and other rural crafts. It also has the mandate to support all other allied economic activities in rural areas, promote integrated and sustainable rural development and secure prosperity of rural areas. In discharging its role as a facilitator for rural prosperity NABARD is entrusted with 1. Providing refinance to lending institutions in rural areas 2. Bringing about or promoting institutional development and 3. Evaluating, monitoring and inspecting the client banks Besides this pivotal role, NABARD also: Acts as a coordinator in the operations of rural credit institutions Extends assistance to the government, the Reserve Bank of India and other organizations in matters relating to rural development Offers training and research facilities for banks, cooperatives and organizations working in the field of rural development Helps the state governments in reaching their targets of providing assistance to eligible institutions in agriculture and rural development Acts as regulator for cooperative banks and RRBs Extends assistance to the government, the Reserve Bank of India and other organizations in matters relating to rural development Offers training and research facilities for banks, cooperatives and organizations working in the field of rural development Helps the state governments in reaching their targets of providing assistance to eligible institutions in agriculture and rural development

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 Acts as regulator for cooperative banks and RRBs

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Some of the milestones in NABARD's activities are:

The total production credit disbursed, at end- March 2011, was Rs. 34,196 crore During 2010-11, Short-term Seasonal Agricultural Operation (SAO) credit limits were sanctioned to 21 State Co-operative Banks (SCB) aggregating Rs. 23,759 crore, as against `18,109 crore sanctioned to 20 SCB during 2009-10. During the year, the total investment credit (including co-finance) disbursed was Rs. 13,485.87 crore, as against the target of Rs. 12,980 crore. The achievement against target was 103.90 per cent. The annual allocation under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) was Rs. 16,000 crore during 2010-11 taking the cumulative allocation to Rs.1,16,000 crore. The total financial resources of NABARD increased to Rs. 1,58,872 crore, as on 31 March 2011, registering an increase of 16.57 per cent, over the previous year.

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Audited

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Financial Results for the year ended 31st March,2011

Sr. No. 1 a b c d 2 3 4 5 (i) (ii) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Particulars Interest earned (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) Interest on loans and advances Income on investments Interest on balances with Reserve Bank of India and other inter bank funds Others Other Income Total Income (1+2) Interest Expended Operating Expenses (i) + (ii) Employees cost Other operating expense Total Expenditure (4+5) excluding provisions and contingencies Operating Profit before Provisions and Contingencies (3-6) Provisions (other than tax) and Contingencies Exceptional Items Profit (+)/Loss (-) from Ordinary Activities before tax (7-8-9) Tax expenses Net Profit (+)/Loss (-) from Ordinary Activities after tax (10-11) Extraordinary items (net of tax expense) Net Profit (+) / Loss (-) for the period (1213) Paid-up capital Reserves excluding Revaluation Reserves Analytical Ratios

Year ended 31 March 2011 Audited 9112.38 8169.14 943.24 0.00 0.00 89.63 9202.01 6193.87 1148.14 914.19 233.95 7342.01 1860.00 0.00 0.00 1823.86 544.65 1279.21 0 1279.21 2000 11482.72

Year ended 31 March 2010 Audited 7909.00 6653.31 1255.69 0.00 0.00 55.80 7964.80 4988.46 571.75 335.20 236.55 5560.21 2404.59 132.14 0.00 2272.45 714.19 1558.26 0 1558.26 2000 10207.54

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(i) (ii) 18 (a) (b) (c ) (d) (e) Notes: 1 2

Capital Adequacy Ratio Earnings Per Share (EPS) NA NPA Ratios Gross NPA Net NPA % of Gross NPA to Gross loans & advances % of Net NPA to Net loans & advances Return on Assets

21.76% NA 69.15 29.8 0.0496 0.0214 0.88%

24.95%

50.73 18.76 0.0421 0.0156 1.23%

The above result were reviewed by ACB and approved by Board of Directors at its meeting held on 30 May 2011. Reserve Bank of India has transferred 71.5% of share holding of NABARD to Government of India as on 13 October 2010 Pursuant to revision in salary of employees of the bank, Rs. 277.09 crore has been provided for arrears of which Rs. 177.34 crore pertains to the period prior to 01 April 2010. Further, an additional Provision of Rs.216.09 crore has been made towards superannuation benefits of the employees based on the revised salary. Previous figures are regrouped / rearranged wherever necessary.

3 4

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Punjab

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Fig. 1 Political Map of Punjab Punjab, the richest state in India that throbs with the lively culture of equally vibrant people, has always moved on the path of prosperity despite all odds. A state where dreams of moving with the times have blossomed among the lush green fields and productive soil. With its matchless style of transforming every potential opportunity into a success story through enterprise and endeavor Punjab has always been at the forefront in the development story of India. Punjab The Food basket and Granary of India", has been awarded National Productivity Award for agriculture extension services for consecutively eight years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and again 2000-2001 to 2003-04. Punjab is now well on its way to rapid industrialization through coordinated development of Small, Medium and Large scale industries. Punjab has been declared as one of the best States in India in terms of rail, road and transport network as per National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), 2007. Ludhiana (Punjab) has been adjudged 29

as the best place for doing business in India as per the World Bank Study, 2009. With the up-gradation of Amritsar International Airport & another International Airport coming up in Mohali, Punjab is geared to be one of the finest and easily accessible tourist as well as business destination in South Asia. State Government has undertaken setting up of new power projects at Gidderbaha, Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Goindwal Sahib which will make Punjab a power surplus state by 2012. Punjab is already home to many large Indian Companies & MNCs like Ranbaxy, Hero Group, Avon Cycles, Gujarat Ambuja, Trident Group, Rail Coach Factory (Kapurthala), Sonalika, M & M, Godrej, Phillips, Oswal Woolen Mills, HCL, Nestle, Smithkline Beecham, ICI, Quark, Dell, IDS Infotech, etc. to name a few. Geographical area The geographical area of Punjab is 50,362 sq. km (It lies in North-west of India. Its average elevation is 300 m from the sea level. Due to the presence of a large number of rivers, most of the Punjab is a fertile plain. The southeast region of the state is semi-arid and gradually presents a desert landscape. A belt of undulating hills extends along the northeastern part of the state at the foot of the Himalayas. The State can also be divided in to 3 Agro climatic zones. 1. NORTHERN ZONE: This is located in the foothills of Shivaliks and extends from Derabassi block of Mohali district to Dhar block of Gurdaspur district falling in Ropar, Mohali, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur districts. 2. CENTRAL ZONE: It is comprises of Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Nawanshahar, Kapurthala and Amritsar districts. This zone is the most developed area of the State. The lands are leveled and under ground water are available for irrigation. The over exploitation of sub-soil water is causing ground water depletion in this zone at an alarming rate. 3. SOUTHERN ZONE

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This comprises Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda, Mansa, Mukatsar, Moga, Faridkot and Ferozepur districts. In this region the sub soil water is generally brackish and unfit for irrigation. Irrigation water is available from network of canal system which has been carried to the fields by constructing lined water courses and also through under ground pipe line system. State Capital The state capital of Punjab is Chandigarh. Cities/ Towns There are 14 cities and 157 towns in Punjab. Punjab has some very valuable historical, colorful great cities .The major cities in Punjab are Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, Mohali, Bathinda. The State of Punjab in western India is one of the most fertile regions of the earth. The cities have rich culture of self dependence, self reliance and hard work. Literacy Rate The literacy rate in Punjab is 69.7% Literacy Rate General Urban-Rural ratio Being an agricultural state, approximately 66% of people live in rural areas while the rest 34% are urban resident. Climate Punjabs climate comprises of three seasons. They are the summer months that spans from mid April to the end of June. The rainy season is from the months of early July to end of September. The winter season in Punjab is experienced during the months of early December to the end of February. The transitional Seasons in Punjab are the post monsoon season and the post winter season. Population of Punjab is 2,43,58,999 out of which 1,29,85,045 are males and 1,13,73,954 are females. 29 Male 75.23% Female 63.36%

Estimated number of Rural Households in Punjab is 29,84,700 out of which 18,44,200 are farmers (see Annexure IX). Also about 65.4% farmer HHs are indebted (National Sample Survey 59th Round (January-December 2003)). Table 1. Classifiaction of workers-2001
Total Total Population Punjab Total Rural Urban 24358999 16096488 8262511 Total Working Total main Workers 7835732 5248225 2587507 marginal Workers 1291742 1112126 179616 Total Non Male Population 12985045 8516596 4468449 Population 9127474 6360351 2767123 Workers 15231525 9736137 5495388 Male Working Population 6960213 4589049 2371164 Male Main workers 6426028 4161003 2265025 Female Population 11373954 7579892 3794062 Female working Population 2167261 1771302 395959 Female Workers 1409704 1087222 322482 Main

Source: Regisrar General of India

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Table 2. Major crops yield (Kg/hectare) of Punjab (2009-10) Total food grains Rabi food grains Kharif food grains Wheat Rice (kharif) Sunflower Linseed Rapseed and Mustard Rabi Oil seeds Kharif Oil seeds Total Oilseeds Tur Gram Total Pulses Maize (kharif) 4148 4304 4148 4314 4010 1762 500 1290 1477 582 1335 957 1000 893 3417

Source: Director, Agriculture, Punjab Punjab Electricty consumption for Agriculture purpose is 10022.20 GWh, which is sixth highest among all state in India, after Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamilnadu and Karnataka (see Annexure X), in 2007-08. It is clear that Punjab agriculture is highly dependent on electricity. It is share 33.53% of total electricity consumption which is 29886.86 GWh.

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Table 3. Net Area Irrigated by different Sources In Punjab Unit: (,000 Hectares) Year 2000-01
District Government canals Private canals Tubewells and Wells Other sources Total Percentage Net area sown Gurdaspur Amritsar Kapurthala Jalandhar Nawanshehar Hoshiarpur Rupnagar Ludhiana Firozpur Faridkot Muktsar Moga Bathinda Mansa Sangrur Patiala Fetehgarh Sahib Total 1001.8 3016.5 2.4 4020.7 1588.7 22.9 198.0 1.2 7.2 2.7 20.0 1.7 10.2 143.7 89.8 4.3 32.4 230.5 144.5 81.3 10.0 1.4 194.6 241.5 133.5 229.5 80.7 165.9 91.4 294.0 327.2 39.0 213.2 165.0 64.4 54.5 341.2 279.7 101.2 2.4 217.5 439.5 134.7 236.7 83.4 188.3 93.1 304.2 470.9 128.8 217.5 197.4 294.9 199.0 422.5 289.7 102.6 74.5 98.5 99.8 99.5 82.6 86.4 73.9 100.0 99.1 97.6 92.9 99.7 98.6 98.0 92.7 95.3 99.6 of Area

irrigated to Net

Source: Director of Land Records, Punjab

Table 4. Tubewells in Punjab Unit: in lacs 29

Year 1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 (P) 2000-2001 (P)

Diesel operated Electric operated 1.01 3.20 2.00 1.75 1.70 1.70 1.70 0.91 2.80 6.00 7.35 7.45 7.55 7.65

Total 1.92 6.00 8.00 9.10 9.15 9.25 9.35

Source: Director, Agriculture, Punjab It is clear from the above figures that electric operated tubewells are increasing while diesel operated tubewells remain constant. This clearly indicates the dependence of Punjabs agriculture on electricity.

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Power status of Punjab Electricity is a critical infrastructure on which the socio-economic development of the State depends. Reliable, quality, and affordable power supply is one of the key drivers for a state's industrial and commercial growth. The State at present is facing acute power shortage. Accelerated addition to generation capacity is required to meet the demand and to achieve higher growth rates. Punjab is far away from the coal mines/fuel sources. Higher freight on the coal/fuel substantially enhances the cost of power. Table 5. Electrical energy availability (in million kwh) Year 1991 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Thermal Generation 5426 7534 8978 9424 9989 12641 13217 13198 Hydro Generation 7540 7557 7616 6806 8808 7739 7063 6967 2515 4972 5084 6647 6296 6008 6892 6830 15481 20063 21678 22877 25093 26388 27172 26995 Purchased Total

Source: Punjab State Electricity Board / SDR

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Table 6. Annual Per Capita sale of Electricity in Punjab 1970-71 to 2008-09 (KWH) Year 1970- 198071 Domestic 81 199091 80.80 16.24 2000- 2004-05 2005- 200601 174 38 197 50 347 25 06 198 54 355 25 07 208 59 372 25 2007- 200808 229 67 392 26 09 229 67 381 26

10.31 30.10 8.43

Commercial 8.06 Industrial Public lighting and bulk

104.9 150.91 244.74 331 0.52 1.10 1.29 19

Agriculture 34.73 111.97 254.02 228 Note: (i) Public lighting included in Bulk Supply

251

274

303

362

362

Table 7. Conceptual Framework of Availability of Power from the States Own Resources by 2010 Generation Thermal at 68% PLF Hydel Non-conventional resources, micro-hydel Enhancement of PLF to 80% plus Minus T&D losses @ 10% Total Units 16000 7000 1000 1500 2550 23000

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Table 8. Anticipated Demand for Energy (in million kwh) Sector Domestic Commercial Industrial Agriculture Total Demand in 2010 8500 3500 12000 8500 34000

Public lighting and bulk 1500

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About Renewable Energy Renewable energy is derived from an energy source that is rapidly replaced, or renewed, by a natural process Under the category of renewable energy or non-conventional energy are such sources as the sun, wind, water, agricultural residue, firewood, and animal dung. The non-renewable sources are the fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Energy generated from the sun is known as solar energy. Hydel is the energy derived from water. Biomass firewood, animal dung, biodegradable waste from cities and crop residues- is a source of energy when it is burnt. Geothermal energy is derived from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs, natural geysers, etc. Ocean thermal is energy derived from waves and also from tidal waves. Through the method of co-generation a cleaner and less polluting form of energy is being generated. Fuel cells are also being used as cleaner energy source. In India a number of initiatives have been taken. A good example is the model village of Ralegaon Siddhi. When you burn a piece of wood it turns into ash. Can you use this ash to again light a fire? No, You cannot do this. This is exactly what happens to the non renewable sources of energy such as coal, natural gas and oil. Once you burn them they cannot be reused. Other than this it also causes extensive damage to the environment.

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Solar energy Solar energy is the most readily available source of energy. It does not belong to anybody and is, therefore, free. It is also the most important of the nonconventional sources of energy because it is nonpolluting and, therefore, helps in lessening the greenhouse effect. to

India receives solar energy over kWh/year, equivalent trillion is far the 5000 which of

more than the total energy consumption country.

Solar energy has been used since prehistoric times, but in a most primitive manner. Before 1970, some research and development was carried out in a few countries to exploit solar energy more efficiently, but most of this work remained mainly academic. After the dramatic rise in oil prices in the 1970s, several countries began to formulate extensive research and development programmes to exploit solar energy. When we hang out our clothes to dry in the sun, we use the energy of the sun. In the same way, solar panels absorb the energy of the sun to provide heat for cooking and for heating water. Such systems are available in the market and are being used in homes and factories. In the next few years it is expected that millions of households in the world will be using solar energy as the trends in USA and Japan show. In India too, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency and the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources are formulating a programme to have solar energy in more than a million households in the next few years. However, peoples initiative is essential if the programme is to be successful. India is one of the few countries with long days and plenty of sunshine, especially in the Thar desert region. This zone, having abundant solar energy available, is suitable for harnessing solar energy for a number of applications. In areas with similar intensity of solar radiation, solar energy could be easily harnessed. Solar thermal energy is being used in India for heating water for both industrial and domestic purposes. A 140 MW 29

Form of Energy: Solar Thermal energy integrated solar power plant is to be set up in Jodhpur but the initial expense incurred is still very high. Solar energy can also be used to meet our electricity requirements. Through Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) cells, solar radiation gets converted into DC electricity directly. This electricity can either be used as it is or can be stored in a battery. This stored electrical energy then can be used at night. SPV can be used for a number of applications such as: a.domestic lighting b. street lighting c. village electrification d. water pumping e. desalination of salty water f. powering of remote telecommunication repeater stations and g. railway signals. If the means to make efficient use of solar energy could be found, it would reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy and make our environment cleaner. The availability of abundant solar energy enables Some of the gadgets and other devices: Solar cooker, Flat plate solar cookers, Concentrating collectors, This energy is used for:

Cooking/Heating, seasoning, Electricity/Power

Drying/Timber Distillation, generation,

Cooling, Refrigeration, Cold storage

Solar hot water systems (Domestic and Industrial), Solar hot air systems, Solar Dryers, Solar timber kilns, solar stills, Solar photovoltaic systems, Solar pond, Concentrating collectors, Power Tower, Air conditioning, Solar collectors, coupled to absorption, Refrigeration systems

organizations to meet the energy challenge and provides an opportunity to offer new and cost effective solutions. In the solar photovoltaic sector, the photon chasing has moved from expensive silicon wafers (owing to paucity of polysilicon worldwide), to the growth of technologies such as thin film-based high concentration photovoltaics, concentrating solar power (CSP) and nanosolar.

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India has today only around 33-35 grid interactive solar photovoltaic power plants with aggregate capacity of around 2-2.5 MW, that generate around 2.5 million units of electricity in a year, in sharp contrast to the estimated potential of 50,000 MW (assuming a generation of 20 MW per square km). Most of the existing capacity today is off-grid and for standalone applications in lighting, telecommunication, small power requirements, battery charging, water heating, cooking etc. There are currently around 14-15 lakh solar PV systems in operation and around 6 lakh solar cookers in use. Around 200,000 square meter collector area has been installed for solar water heating applications. The Make India a global leader in solar energy and the mission envisages an

Government installed solar generation capacity of 20,000 MW by 2022, 1,00,000 MW by of India has 2030 and of 2,00,000 MW by 2050. launched the The total expected investment required for the 30-year period will run is National from USD 19 bn to USD 23 bn. Solar Mission. The main features are: 4-5GW of installed solar manufacturing capacity by 2017 Between 2017 and 2020, the target is to achieve tariff parity with

of conventional grid power and achieve an installed capacity of 20 gigawatts the Mission (Gw) by 2020.

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Types of Solar Cells Solar Cells are broadly classified into three types, as shown below:

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Uses: Solar Power Generation to Pump Water Pumping water is a universal need around the world and the use of photovoltaic power is increasing for this application. PV powered pumping systems offer simplicity, reliability, and low maintenance for a broad range of applications between hand pumps and large generator driven irrigation pumps. The solar PV powered water-pumping system (DC Surface suction, DC floating, and DC or AC submersibles) can offer a veritable panacea to the problem of finding power to pump water for irrigation in India. Typical pump systems in India are of the DC surface suction type (approximately 86% of solar pumping systems installed in India), DC submersible type (2%), DC floating type (2%), and AC submersible (10%). The system for solar pumping depends on the nature of the well: deep well, bore well, open well etc. Regardless of the type of pump used, water is usually stored in a tank or reservoir for use at other times. Most pumping systems do not include batteries for on-demand water. However, batteries are sometimes used in systems where pumping time must be controlled because of low water demand or low source capacity. India has about 15 million grid-powered pump-sets and close to 7 million dieselpowered pumps. However, only about 7500 solar pumping systems have been installed for agricultural use in India. The problems with the grid-powered pumping systems are:

Demand for electrical energy far outstrips supply, and the gap continues to widen It is proving increasingly difficult for the government to continue subsidizing the rising costs of generation, transmission and distribution losses, pilferage, etc (to deliver 3600 kWh to a farmer to pump water, 7000 kWh is required to be generated, assuming a diversity factor 2). The loss of revenue to the government is colossal.

The capital cost to the government to provide an electrical connection for a single pump-set of 3 hp capacity (sufficient for 2 hectares) is estimated at Rs 1.37 lakh by Andhra Pradesh Transco (2002 figures)

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The costs and tariffs of electricity continue to rise the marginal farmer is unable to pay for the electricity

Grid power is unreliable and of poor quality, often leading to motor burnouts at the tail end.

In a coal-fired thermal generating station, 1 kWh of electrical energy generated translates to 11.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission a year.

Applications

Irrigation Village Water Supply Stock Watering Drinking water Agriculture related use Horticulture Animal Husbandry Poultry farming High value crops Orchard Farming

Users

Farmers /Ranchers Villages

Solar Water Heating System A solar water heater consists of a collector to collect solar energy and an insulated storage tank to store hot water. Based on the collector system, solar water heaters can be of two types:

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Solar water heaters based on Flat plate Collectors (FPC based SWH) Here the solar radiation is absorbed by flat plate collectors which consist of an insulated outer metallic box covered on the top with glass sheet. Inside there are blackened metallic absorber (selectively coated) sheets with built in channels or riser tubes to carry water. The absorber absorbs the solar radiation and transfers the heat to the flowing water.

Figure2. Flat Plate Collector based Solar Water Heaters Solar water heaters based on Evacuated Tube Collectors (ETC based SWH) Here the collector is made of double layer borosilicate glass tubes evacuated for providing insulation. The outer wall of the inner tube is coated with selective absorbing material. This helps absorption of solar radiation and transfers the heat to the water which flows through the inner tube.

Figure 3. Evacuated Tube Collector based Solar Water Heater 29

Solar water heating is now a mature technology. Wide spread utilization of solar water heaters can reduce a significant portion of conventional energy being used for heating water in homes, factories and other commercial & institutional establishments. Internationally too the market for solar water heaters has expanded significantly during the last decade. It is estimated that over 107 million sq.m. of collector area has so far been installed world wide for heating water. In India, the collector area so far installed for water heating is also over 1.00 million sq.m. Ministry of New and Renewable En ergy has plans to add another 1.00 million sq. m. in next two years. Solar Water Heaters * Hot water at 60-80 C for hotels, hospitals, restaurants, dairies, homes, industry etc. * Solar water heaters (SWHs) of 100-300 litres capacity are suited for domestic application. * Larger systems can be used in restaurants, canteens, guest houses, hotels, hospitals etc. Fuel Savings: A 100 litres capacity SWH can replace an electric geyser for residential use and saves 1500 units of electricity annually. Avoided utility cost on generation The use of 1000 SWHs of 100 litres capacity each can contribute to a peak load shaving of 1 MW. Environmental benefits A SWH of 100 litres capacity can prevent emission of 1.5 tonnes of carbon-dioxide per year. Life : 15-20 years Approximate cost: Around Rs.22000 for a 100 litres capacity SWH Rs.110-150 per installed litre for higher capacity systems Payback period: 3-4 years when electricity is replaced 29

4-5 years when furnace oil is replaced 6-7 years when coal is replaced Though the initial investment for a solar water heater is high compared to available conventional alternatives, the return on investment has become increasingly attractive with the increase in prices of conventional energy. The pay back period depends on the site of installation, utilization pattern and fuel replaced. To offset the high initial investment for solar water heaters, the Ministry is currently implementing a soft loan scheme through seven designated banks and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), which has now been extended to all kind of Financial Institutions. Solar Power Vs Diesel Generator We know that solar powered generators are in existence. But are they really effective? Are they useful, economic? Why do we need to opt for solar powered generators when simple, diesel generators are in existence? 1. Cost People generally prefer diesel generators over solar powered ones due to the initial cost of installation. But if one can sit and think about the future expenses that would be in store, the individual would, without doubt, prefer solar generators. Diesel generators would need a constant supply of fuel with increased expenditure, owing to the everincreasing price of fuel. Add to that the amount of time each day or week spent making sure the generator does not run out of fuel. 2. Pollution The solar generator not only conserves power, but also reduces pollution. The diesel generator would produce continuous noise, whereas the solar generator doesnt. 3. Efficiency When using a diesel generator, the device would go on and on, not considering the amount of power consumed. This can be avoided on a solar powered generator.

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The only drawback with the solar powered generator could be the amount of sunlight the locality receives. Though the system would run on charged batteries, once the cloudy season sets, there are chances of the batteries going dead. 4. Reliability In warm/hot countries , solar generators are more reliable. But in countries where there is less sunshine and more rains and winds, solar energy doesnt come in handy. However, in Germany, solar energy is used at a much higher level than in North America. Hence, reliability is not an issue when it comes to solar powered gensets. Major Obstacles in the Captive Solar industry Captive power generation is plagued with some issues. The main idea behind setting up solar based captive power plants was to get uninterrupted power supply and reduce the diesel cost. Industrial users who have the required resources to set up their own power plants for internal consumption can put up SPV captive power plant. But, there are certain issues in setting up solar based captive power plants. Uncertainty in weather: The design of a solar power generation system involves either the use of historical weather data or weather forecast methods to predict the future temporal evolution of the solar energy system. Despite the use of such methods, the behavior of weather conditions always involves high uncertainty. Unless such uncertainty is accounted for during the system design, the performance of the solarbased system will only be optimum within the range of the considered weather conditions. Potentially unpredictable weather fluctuations will inevitably result to suboptimal system operation. Solar irradiance: Solar irradiance is one of the most important factors in the operation of the PV systems and it can have a significant impact on the efficiency and power quality response of the whole system. The variable power flow due to the fluctuation of solar irradiance and temperature are some of the parameters that affect the power quality of photovoltaic systems. With high connection densities of photovoltaics in the distribution grid, low irradiance can lead to undesirable variations of power and supply quality (voltage and current) at the connection point which might even exceed 29

acceptable limits. The system injects a highly distorted current (with respect to the fundamental frequency current) to the distribution network during low solar irradiance conditions. It has been found that low solar irradiance has a significant impact on the power quality of the output of the PV system. Initial Cost: The high initial cost of solar PV systems is one of the most significant barriers to PV adoption. However, as the initial cost of PV system decreases and the cost of conventional fuel sources increases, these systems will become more economically competitive. Surplus Power: In India, net metering system is currently not available and thus the surplus power generated from renewable energy sources cannot be sold to the utilities. When it is not connected to the grid, excess energy that is generated is not fed out to the utility to give you an energy credit (this can happen with on-grid systems). Off-grid systems must use the surplus or lose it. Energy Storage: Offgrid PV systems typically use batteries for storing energy, and the use of batteries could increase the size, cost and complexity of the system.

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Banks and Institutions that Support Renewable Energy Financing in India The websites of commercial banks and financial institutions actively involved in RE financing and provide subsidy are given below. ADB DEG DBS ICICI Bank IDFC IFC IL&FS IREDA PFC Proparco Rabobank SBI SBI Caps Yes Bank http://www.adb.org http://www.deginvest.de http://www.dbs.com http://www.icicibank.com http://www.idfc.com http://www.ifc.org http://www.ilfsindia.com http://www.ireda.in http://www.pfc.gov.in http://www.proparco.fr http://www.rabobank.com http://www.statebankofindia.com http://www.sbicaps.com http://www.yesbank.in

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Bio Energy Bio-Energy is often referred to as alternative energy, green energy, renewable energy, renewable power sources, sustainable energy, etc. Bio-Energy is renewable energy obtained from biological materials derived from biological sources. It is the energy derived from biomass, which is agri-residue such as baggase, prosopis, cotton stalk, elephant grass, coconut shell and forest organic residue such as wood, plants, etc. Bio-Energy can be used to generate electricity, produce heat, and also for the production of Bio-Fuels. Different types of Bio-Energy Biomass Biomass refers to agriwaste and organic forest residue, which includes wood, wood waste, straw, sugar cane left overs, garden waste and crop residues like baggase, prosopys, cotton stalk, elephant grass, coconut shell etc. It is a renewable energy source based on the carbon cycle, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from the carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. It is derived from numerous sources, including the by-products from the timber industry, agricultural crops, raw material from the forest, major parts of household waste and wood. Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel. Its advantage is that it can be used to generate electricity with the same equipment or power plants that are now burning fossil fuels. Biomass is an important source of energy and the most important fuel worldwide after coal, oil and natural gas. Traditional use of biomass is more than its use in modern application. In the developed world biomass is again becoming important for applications such as combined heat and

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power generation. In addition, biomass energy is gaining significance as a source of clean heat for domestic heating and community heating applications. In fact in countries like Finland, USA and Half a kilo of dry plant tissue can

Sweden the per capita biomass energy used is quite produce as much as 1890 higher. KCal of heat which is Biomass fuels used in India account for about one third equivalent to the heat of the total fuel used in the country, being the most available from a quarter of important fuel used in over 90% of the rural households kilogram of coal. and about 15% of the urban households. Instead of burning the loose biomass fuel directly, it is more practical to compress it into briquettes (compressing them through a process to form blocks of different shapes) and thereby improve its utility and convenience of use. Such biomass in the dense briquetted form can either be used directly as fuel instead of coal in the traditional chulhas and furnaces or in the gasifier. Gasifier converts solid fuel into a more convenient-to-use gaseous form of fuel called producer gas.
Form energy Cooking, of Energy: Chemical Scientists are trying to explore the advantages of biomass

energy as an alternative energy source as it is renewable

This energy is being used for: and free from net CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions, and is Mechanical, abundantly available on earth in the form of agricultural Applications/Pumping, Power residue, city garbage, cattle dung, firewood, etc. Biogeneration, other engine gas/ Transportation Biogas Gasifier

energy, in the form of biogas, which is derived from biomass, is expected to become one of the key energy resources for global sustainable development.

Some of the gadgets and devices: pump Biogas sets, based plant/Gasifier/Burner,

Stirling At present, biogas technology provides an alternative engine useful for village households that have their own cattle. sets, Through a simple process cattle dung is used to produce

engine pump sets, Producer source of energy in rural India for cooking. It is particularly generator Ethanol/Methanol

gas, which serves as fuel for cooking. The residual dung used as manure.

is

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Biogas plants have been set up in many areas and are becoming very popular. Using local resources, namely cattle waste and other organic wastes, energy and manure are derived. A mini biogas digester has recently been designed and developed, and is being in-field tested for domestic lighting. Indian sugar mills are rapidly turning to bagasse, the leftover of cane after it is crushed and its juice extracted, to generate electricity. This is mainly being done to clean up the environment, cut down power costs and earn additional revenue. According to current estimates, about 3500 MW of power can be generated from bagasse in the existing 430 sugar mills in the country. Around 270 MW of power has already been commissioned and more is under construction. Bio-Pellets Bio-Pellets is a refined and densified form of biomass, which is completely made from agri-waste and organic forest residue. Bio-Pellet industry has considerably grown in Europe in recent years and is gaining importance quickly across the globe due to its carbon neutral properties.

Bio-Diesel Bio-Diesel is produced from oils or fats using transesterification. Feedstock for BioDiesel include animal fats, vegetable oils, soy, rapeseed, jatropha, mahua, mustard, flax, sunflower, palm oil, hemp, field pennycress, pongamia pinnata and algae. Pure Bio-Diesel is by far the lowest emission diesel fuel. Since Bio-Diesel is an effective solvent and cleans residues deposited by mineral diesel in engine, it also effectively cleans the engine combustion chamber of carbon deposits, helping to maintain efficiency. Bio-Ethanol

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Bio-Ethanol is the most common Bio-Fuel worldwide. It is produced by fermentation of sugars derived from wheat, corn, sugar beets, sugar cane, molasses and any sugar or starch that alcoholic beverages can be made from. Ethanol can be used in petrol engines as a replacement for gasoline.

Bio-Oil Oils and fats can be hydrogenated to give a diesel substitute. Hydrogenated oils can be blended with diesel in all proportions. Hydrogenated oils have several advantages over Bio-Diesel, including good performance at low temperatures, no storage stability problems and no susceptibility to microbial attack. It is estimated that 19 million tons of oil would be available from biomass by 2020. Bio-Gas Bio-Gas is produced by the process of anaerobic digestion of organic material by anaerobes. It can be produced either from biodegradable waste materials or by the use of energy crops fed into anaerobic digester to supplement gas yields. The solid byproduct can be used as a Bio-Fuel or a fertilizer. Punjab is predominantly rich in agriculture and contributes the major share to the grain basket. It has surplus production of major crops. Punjab has been meeting its electrical requirements primarily through conventional thermal and hydro power generation. However, Hydro power generation has a tendency to fluctuate depending on the availability of water. Thermal power generation has to depend on coal which has to be transported from eastern part of India involving large distances. Cost of generation from coal continuous to escalate and moreover it is polluting. Benefits of Bio-Energy As concerns grow over both climate change and the fast depleting reserves of fossil fuels, Bio-Energy has a prominent role to play in the provision of clean burning fuels. An

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added advantage of Bio-Energy is that it also encourages the planting of forests as carbon sinks. Economic Benefits Cost competitive fuels- biomass offers a cost-effective alternative to burning fossil fuels for some users. For example - In saw milling, the users can burn the wood waste produced on site. Waste minimization- Using agri-waste, organic forest residue, etc., as fuel converts waste to a value proposition. Rural Development - Biomass is a local resource; it is produced, processed and consumed locally. It, therefore, emphasizes on the self sufficiency model and encourages sustainable development in the villages thereby generating more employment and income for the villagers and contributing to nation building. Energy storage Unlike wind, wave and solar, biomass is a storable form of renewable energy. It is capable of being transported and utilized at any time. Environmental Benefits Carbon neutral- As a renewable energy source that can be grown and used sustainably, burning biomass has zero net greenhouse effect as carbon dioxide given off during combustion is absorbed by the growth of the next crop of biomass. Renewable energy source Unlike fossil fuels, biomass fuels are renewable and therefore contribute to a more sustainable, clean and green future for human beings. Across the globe, hundreds of millions of acres of once-productive agricultural land lie abandoned, according to a new report from researchers at Stanford University and the Carnegie Institution for Science. This land can be used to grow crops for conversion into BioEnergy; it could help ease the energy crunch without worsening the world food shortage or contributing to global warming.

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More about Biogas Biogas is a well-established fuel for cooking and lighting in a number of countries. It is a gas mixture comprising around 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide that is formed when organic materials, such as dung or vegetable matter are broken down by microbiological activity in the absence of air, at slightly elevated temperatures (most effective between 30 - 40C or 50 - 60C). This is the same process as that which occurs naturally at the bottom of ponds and marshes and gives rise to marsh gas or methane. China has over 7.5 million household biogas digesters, 750 large- and medium-scale industrial biogas plants, and a network of rural 'biogas service centres' to provide the infrastructure necessary to support dissemination, financing and maintenance. India has also had a large programme, with about three million household-scale systems installed (Martinot 2003). Other countries in the South with active programmes include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and several countries in Latin America. As carbon emission levels of greater concern and as people realise the benefits of developing integrated energy supply options, biogas becomes increasingly attractive option. The biogas process is known as anaerobic (without air) digestion, and provides a clean cooking and lighting fuel that can be produced on a scale varying from a small household system to a large commercial plant of several thousand cubic metres. Biogas can be used for electricity generation and powering farm equipment. There are two main types of electricity generation equipment:

Microturbines are small gas turbines that burn methane, mixed with compressed

air. As they burn, the hot pressurized gases are forced out of the combustion chamber and through a turbine wheel, causing it to spin and turn the generator, thus making electricity.

Reciprocating gas engines that have been modified from natural gas engines but

which can handle the larger quantities of carbon dioxide and contaminants that are 29

found in biogas. They work on a much larger scale, burn efficiently, and deliver between 1MW and 2 MW of electrical power. The digestion of animal and human waste yields several benefits: The production of methane for use as a fuel, which reduces the amount

of woodfuel required and thus reduces desertification. The waste is reduced to slurry that has a high nutrient content, making

an ideal fertiliser. health. Carbon emissions In some cases, anaerobic digestion is used to produce fertiliser as the main product, and the biogas is merely a by-product which is vented from the digester. This has serious negative environmental impacts as methane is a damaging greenhouse gas. Conversely, when the gas is burnt, it is one of the few energy processes that is carbon negative in that it reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the raw material (dung emits methane), making it an attractive option for those seeking carbon funding for wide-scale dissemination. Technical issues There are several technologies for obtaining biogas: The most common is the fermentation of human and/or animal waste, During the digestion process, dangerous bacteria in the dung and other

organic matter are killed, which reduces the pathogens dangerous to human

diluted to slurry, in specially designed digesters.

Where water is scarce, an adapted technology uses a drier mix with

high yields and more manageable residues. A recent approach using starches from waste foods and grain in much smaller quantities has created a smallscale technology appropriate for both urban and rural communities.

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Where there is no cattle, new technologies show that fuel crops can

yield biogas in a larger-scale. However, when building a biogas digester, certain criteria must be met if it is to be successful, for example:

Sufficient raw feedstuffs must be available on a long-term basis and

over the whole year, or supplies will be inconsistent and people will lose confidence in the technology

The temperature has to be high enough to cause the digestion

process to work or additional building work to create a warm environment may make it prohibitively expensive

For fixed-dome type digesters, the quality of the building materials

must be high as the biogas is held under pressure within the dome

Skills and know-how are needed both to build and to maintain biogas

plants. Many units built in the past have been abandoned for lack of servicing skills Social

Biogas is a clean fuel, thus reducing the levels of indoor air pollution, a

major cause of ill-health for those living in poverty .

Lighting is a major social asset, and already there are estimated to be

over 10 million households with lighting from biogas (Martinot, 2003). Improved lighting is associated with longer periods for work or study

Where biogas is substituted for woodfuel, there are two benefits: a

reduction in the pressures on the forest, and a time-saving for those who have to collect wood usually women and children

If a biogas plant is linked to latrines in a sanitation programme, it is a

positive way of reducing pathogens and converting the waste into safe fertilizer where biogas is linked with sales of the resultant fertilizer, it is an excellent source of additional income 29

Fertilizer can be used on crops to increase their yield. In China and

India biogas plants are produced in great numbers by local artisans. In Kenya, where biogas technology is still in its early stages of dissemination, local manufacturers have been quick to realise the potential and get involved with the production of biogas plants.

Biogas can be used to generate electricity, bringing with it the

possibilities of improved communications; telephone, computer, radio and television for remote communities

Fuel produced locally is not so vulnerable to disruption as, for example,

grid electricity or imported bottled gas

It is more likely to succeed if there is a market for the end product e.g.,

fertilizer, this supply chain should be part of the planning stage of biogas introduction

Even if the set-up costs are subsidised, those who will use the gas

should have some financial stake in the construction or they may not have sufficient sense of ownership to maintain the plant

Handling animal and human waste is a sensitive cultural issue and even

the use of the gas may be unacceptable in some societies

Collection of dung may be problematic if the livestock is not held in a

fixed place but is allowed to wander freely

Promotion and dissemination of the benefits of biogas will be needed if

it is to be accepted in the rural areas where feedstock is available

The use of human waste appears to be more successful when it is

associated with an institution such as a school or a hospital, rather than an individual home

NGO involvement can ensure that technologies are appropriate and

acceptable to the target community Financial / political 29

Government promotion and involvement can assist in dissemination.

This can be a win-win solution as it provides clean energy and reduces problems associated with waste.

Private sector investment will support long-term sustainability Set-up costs are relatively high so it may only be affordable to those

with higher incomes Micro-credit can be used to reduce this problem. Credit schemes, or well-targeted subsidies, will enable a larger number of people to access biogas technologies and thus stimulate the market. For example, USAIDs Nepal Biogas Microfinance Capacity Building Program has established appropriate financial institutions to help, continue and sustain the development of biogas sector in Nepal. The Asia Biogas Program has set up various credit and loan systems, including an innovative carbon finance mechanism for credit in Vietnam. Household-level technologies The most widespread designs of digester are the Chinese fixed dome digester and the Indian floating cover biogas digester (shown in figures 4 & 5). The digestion process is the same in each digester but the gas collection method is different. In the floating cover type, the water sealed cover of the digester is capable of rising as gas is produced, where it acts as a storage chamber, whereas the fixed dome type has a lower gas storage capacity and requires good sealing if gas leakage is to be prevented. Both have been designed for use with animal waste or dung. The waste is fed into the digester via the inlet pipe and undergoes digestion in the digestion chamber. The temperature of the process is quite critical - methane producing bacteria operate most efficiently at temperatures between 30 - 40C or 50 - 60C - and in colder climates heat may have to be added to the chamber to encourage the bacteria to carry out their function. The product is a combination of methane and carbon dioxide, typically in the ratio of 6:4. Digestion time ranges from a couple of weeks to a couple of months depending on the feedstock and the digestion temperature. The residual slurry is removed at the outlet and can be used as a fertiliser.

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From a household perspective, the gas should always be available, so those digesters which allow continuous addition of feedstock which displaces spent feedstock is likely to be the most appropriate and acceptable. Both systems, which require the physical removal of slurry every few days and the addition of new feedstock are both labour intensive.

Figure 4: Fixed dome digester.

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Figure 5: Floating cover digester Biogas digesters where water is a constraint This digester, developed by the Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, India, is a modification of the fixed-dome type and it allows fresh undiluted cattle dung to be used. The modified design requires very little or no water for mixing with the cattle dung, generates about 50% more biogas for each kilogram of dung loaded into the system, and does not require slurry drying time before it can be used as fertiliser. The main changes to a conventional fixed dome digester are an increase in the bore of the inlet feed, greater reinforcement of the chamber to withstand the higher gas pressures, an enlarged slurry chamber outlet and a smooth widened outlet channel to streamline the flow of the slurry (Shyam, 2001). Compact biogas digester using waste foodstuffs For those without cattle or within urban centres, a conventional digester may not be appropriate. The Indian Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) has introduced a small biogas digester waste flour, vegetable that uses starchy or residues,waste sugary wastes as feedstock, including food, fruit peelings, rotten fruit, oil cake,

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rhizomes of banana, canna (a plant similar to a lily but rich in starch), and non-edible seeds. The compact plants are made from cut-down high-density polythene (HDPE) water tanks, which are adapted using a heat gun and standard HDPE piping. The standard plant uses two tanks, with volumes of typically 0.75 m 3 and 1 m3. The smaller tank is the gas holder and is inverted over the larger one which holds the mixture of decomposing feedstock and water (slurry).

Figure 6: Compact biogas digester. The feedstock must be blended so that it is smooth using a blender powered by electricity or by hand. Two kilograms of such feedstock produces about 500 g of methane, and the reaction is completed with 24 hours. An inlet is provided for adding feedstock, and an overflow for removing the digested residue. The digester is set up in a sunny place close to the kitchen, and a pipe takes the biogas to the kitchen. (ARTI, 2006) 29

Larger-scale biogas plants Industrialized countries commonly use biogas digesters where animal dung, and increasingly fuel crops, are used as feedstock for large-scale biogas digesters. Brazil and the Philippines lead the world in crop-based digesters using sugar-cane residues as feedstock. Interest and public support in biogas has been growing in most of the European countries. After a period of stagnation, caused by technical and economical difficulties, the environmental benefits and increasing price of fossil fuel have improved the competitiveness of biogas as an energy fuel. This has been seen in both small and large scale plants in Denmark, Germany (with over 3000 plants producing 500MW electricity and 1000MW of heat) and Switzerland, and as a transport fuel in Sweden (where vehicles using biomass were voted environmental cars of the year in 2005). There have been interesting biogas projects in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Despite this, the use of biogas in Europe is modest in relation to the raw-material potential, and biogas produces only a very small share of the total energy supply. Several countries are experimenting with dedicated biogas energy crops, such as newly bred grass varieties (Sudan grass and tropical grass hybrids) or biogas super maize developed in France. The crops are developed in such a way that they ferment easily and yield enough gas when used as a single substrate. Biogas crops can be used whole, which allows for the use of far more biomass per hectare. When produced on a large scale, biogas can be fed into the natural gas grid and enter the energy mix without consumers being aware of the change. A select number of European firms have already begun doing so, while farmers who generate excess biogas on their farms make use of incentives to sell the electricity they generate from it to the main power grid. In Germany, electricity from biogas is an integral part of the energy market. In 2005, biogas units produced 2.9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity (NAWARO). India is planning to deal with one of its major problems air pollution from transport, through the use of compressed biogas (CBG). Since over 70% of the world's longterm

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(2030) growth in demand for automotive fuels will come from rapidly developing countries like India this is highly relevant and is currently in the research phase (Biopact)

Uses of biogas Biogas has a wide variety of applications. It can be used directly for cooking and lighting, or for heat generation, and for electricity production and fuel for cars. Studies in China have shown that when it is used to heat and light greenhouses it boosts carbon dioxide levels, which boosts photosynthesis in the greenhouse plants and increase yields. Experiments in Shanxi Province have shown that increasing carbon dioxide four-fold between 6 am and 8 am boosts yields by nearly 70 percent. A biogas lamp gives both light and warmth to silkworm eggs, increasing their rate of hatching as well as cocooning over the usual coal heating. At industrial level, the methane and carbon dioxide mix in biogas can be used to inhibit picked fruit from ripening too early as it inhibits metabolism, thereby reducing the formation of ethylene in fruits and grains. It also kills harmful insects, mould, and bacteria that cause diseases (Kangmin, L. & Ho, M-W) Table 1 shows some typical applications for one cubic metre of biogas.

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Table 9. Some biogas equivalents Application 1 cubic metre biogas equivalent

Equal to 60 100 watt bulb for 6 hours

Lighting Cooking Fuel replacement Shaft power Electricity generation

Can cook 3 meals for a family of 5 6

0.7 kg of petrol Can run a one horse power motor for 2

hours

Can generate 1.25 kilowatt hours of

electricity Source: adapted from Kristoferson, 1991 Since more and more farmers are now shifting their dairies far away from their home in their farms, and piping cost would be very high, the bottling of biogas has huge potential. Biogas consists of 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. This biogas can be purified (upto 96% of Methane) to match CNG standards.

Biogas (CBG) Purification and Bottling

By an approximate formula, 100 cows will give/day 1000/Kg of cow dung, this in a bio digester will yield about 40 M3 of Gobar gas. After removing impurities such as CO2, Sulphur, Moisture etc it will yield about 20M3 or 17Kg of pure methane gas. However, it is only now that, a technology has been developed by us, enabling the use of this gas from Bio digester. Gober gas is purified of all impurities and moisture. Pure Methane gas is than Compressed. This Compressed Bio - Gas is capable of running Power plants & Vehicles.

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Brief description & operation of the plant is as under This Project is designed for

Bottling Biogas Generating power using non-conventional energy Driving conventional vehicles using non-conventional energy

The Project has two parts. Ist part Deals in separating impurities such as moisture, Carbon dioxide and Hydrogen sulfide and generating pure Methane from Biogas. IInd part Deals in Filtering, compressing and filling Methane in a Gas Bottle i.e. a CNG Dispenser making it suitable as an IC Engine fuel. Ist part Biogas is an economical, renewable and an eco-friendly fuel. Biogas is produced in an anaerobic digester i.e. a Gobar gas plant. Biogas in its natural self consists of Moisture, Carbon dioxide, Hydrogen sulfide and Methane gas. Methane has a high calorific value in its pure stage. Due to the presence of impurities Biogas becomes a very low calorific value fuel and hence finds a very limited application even though it is cheap and easily available. We have to extract pure and high calorific value fuel methane from low calorific fuel Biogas to make it an IC Engine suitable fuel. Once pure Methane is available in suitable quality and quantity it finds a wide range of applications from running an oil engine, driving a Motor car Engine to operating a Gas Turbine for rural power generation. Biogas generated from the digester is allowed to flow through moisture traps. This process drains out the Moisture present in the gas. The gas is than allowed to counter

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flow in a specially designed Sulfide extractor. This filter drains out Balance Moisture along with the present sulfides. Treated gas is pressurized with the help of a primary compressor. The filters mounted drain out any present moisture and Oil present post compression. The pressurized clean gas is than passed through a Physical Separation Device. The Physical Separation Device is a specially designed modern high pressure combined directional flow device for cleaning Biogas of it high impurities. A measuring device is fitted after the filters to gauge the quantum of clean Methane gas collected in the collecting tank. IInd part This part of our system now deals in bottling this clean Methane gas into a standard CNG bottle. Gaseous Fuel generates maximum efficiency when it is injected into any CNG converted Internal combustion Engine with the desired constant pressure. The cleaned Methane gas is than taken into a 3-Stage high-pressure compressor. The compressor compresses the gas from a) Atmospheric to 10Kg/cm2 in stage I b) 10Kg/cm2 to 60Kg/cm2 in stage II c) 60Kg/cm2 to 250Kg/cm2 in stage III This pressure is considered suitable to fill up a CNG bottle rack. This CNG Bottle Rack can than be connected to a standard CNG Dispenser unit. Now this purified Gobar gas is ready to be used as Fuel in a motor car, or run a Gas Turbine or any CNG converted Internal combustion engine connected to an alternator to produce electricity. This Purified Biogas has been renamed as CBG - COMPRESSED BIOGAS. The whole System from Input of Biogas into the Machine till Filling CBG into a Vehicle or Bottles consumes less than 5Kva of Power for a system designed to treat 200 M3. of gobar-gas.

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This system aims on reducing Capital cost, Operational costs and space requirements. This system has been designed keeping Indian rural conditions in mind. It is so flexible that it can be mounted on a Tractor Trolley (if required), the most common utility vehicle in all rural areas. Due to this, mobile CBG unit, can cater to more than one Biogas plant in a rural area, due to local conditions, it may not be possible to have all the Bio-waste Digesters in one area. The Trolley mounted machine with the help of a tractor can be transported to the Bio Digester which is filled up with the unrefined gas. The machine after refining the CBG can fill up the bottles which can be stored or transported to the required place with ease, causing an uninterrupted supply of high calorific value CBG gas. A properly coordinated movement could result in complete conversion of Vehicles from fossil-based fuel to abundantly available Methane. This movement would change the face of Indian economy forever. The size & cost of the plant depends upon the total quantum of Gobar available. A line diagram explaining the entire process is attached. Figure 7 : BIO GAS PURIFICATION AND BOTTLING UNIT LAYOUT DRAWING

1. GOBAR GAS PLANT

5. 3RD STAGE

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2.1ST STAGE PURIFICATION 3.PRIMARY COMPRESSION 4.PHYSICAL SEPERATION Biogas based power generation:

PURIFICATION 6. SECONDARY COMPRESSION 7. BOTTLING RACK

Mninistry of New and Renewable Energy (Bio-energy development group) sanctioned Biogas based power generation programme (BPGP) during the financial year 2010-11 at a total outlay of Rs. 5 cror. Biogas technology provides an alternative source of energy mainly from organic wastes.It is produced when bacteria degrade organic matter in the absence of air. Biogas contains around 55-65% of methane, 30-40% of carbon dioxide and small quantities of hydrogen, Nitrogen, Carbon Monoxide, Oxygen and Hydrogen Sulphide. The calorific value of biogas is appreciably high (around 4700 kcal or 20 MJ at around 55% methane content). The gas can effectively be utilized for generation of power through a biogas based power-generation system after dewatering and cleaning of the gas. In addition, the slurry produced in the process provides valuable organic manure for farming and sustaining the soil fertility. 1. Components of a Biogas Based Power Generation System (BPGS) Biogas Plants Gas Cleaning System Engine with alternator Control Panel Machine Room / Shed Manure management system / protocol

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2. Biogas plants Standard KVIC floating drum model (vertical or horizontal type) would be supported by Khadi and Village Industries Commission. The eligible item associated with a biogas plant includes: Digester, gas holder and accessories Feed / slurry handling system (composed pits) with water supply and storage Initial feed Gas outlet 3. Gas Cleaning System The biogas contains hydrogen disulphide gas. Concentration of hydrogen disulphide in access of 0.1 % is harmful to the engine. Hence it is necessary to remove hydrogen sulphide before the gas is taken to the engines. 4. Engine with alternator 100% biogas engines Micro-turbines Standard dual fuel engines preferably with bio-diesel in place of diesel. 5. Control / Monitoring Panel BIS Standard control / monitoring panel would be supported. 6. Machine Room / Shed A proper machine room with shed would be planned as per standard practices. The biogas generated in the digester, if necessary can be stored in a suitable storage unit or membrane type storage balloon 7. Manure management system /protocol

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Manure management is an integral part of a biogas based power generation system for arriving at an economically feasible operation level. Marketing strategy of the biogas slurry or the value added bio-manure is required to be defined 8. Any new efficient system for production of biogas, cleaning of the gas and conversion of the gas to electricity, etc. can also be used subject to prior approval of the Ministry. 9. Fixed dome / Deenbandhu and other approved models of biogas plant up to capacity of 10 90 cubic meter per day may also be propagated as per design dimensions and standards for the same developed at BDTC, PAU, Ludhiana, Punjab and medium and large capacity approved models of Biogas plants for digestion of cattle dung and other suitable biomass. Approval of MNRE may be sought for any new model of Biogas plant before submission of project proposal(s) under these guidelines.

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About Punjab Renewable Energy Punjab economy is mainly agriculture based. It is estimated that about 22.65 million tons of agro residues and agro industrial/ processing waste is produced annually. It is mostly either underutilized or wasted, though it holds promising potential for generating decentralized power of more than 1500 MW. The state government is committed to support and facilitate harnessing this potential by the year 2020. These biomass power projects shall be allocated through competitive bidding route and only one project allocated in Tehsil (Taluka) in the state so as to provide for a sufficient command area for biomass resource as fuel for the project. Punjab has adopted its own New and renewable energy sources of Energy (NRSE) Policy 2006 aiming at a sustainable economy based on conventional as well as renewable energy. Under the NRSE policy 2006, the Government of Punjab offers financial and fiscal incentives described hereinafter:Objective of the policy: Punjab has considerable potential in NRSE sector, which is yet to be harnessed, with a view to maximize its utilization of the potential of these resources, this policy is formulated to achieve following objectives: To enhance the contribution of renewable energy for socio-economic development. To meet and supplement minimum rural energy needs through sustainable NRSE programmes.

To provide decentralized energy supply for agriculture, industry, commercial and Households sector.

To improve the quality of grid power generation through NRSE projects. To reduce and mitigate the environment pollution caused by fossil fuels.

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To support development, demonstration and commercialization of new and emerging technologies project in renewable energy sector such as fuel cell, hydrogen and chemical energy, alternate fuel for transportation etc and to support establishment of linkages for collaborative and cooperative projects with national and international institutions.

To create conditions conducive for the involvement of private investors in NRSE projects.

To create public awareness through vigorous publicity drive in the mass media. To create direct and indirect employment opportunities for the youth in appropriate NRSE projects in the state.

Punjab Energy Development Agency : -was formed in Sept. 1991 as a state nodal agency for promotion and development of renewable energy programmes/projects and energy conservation programme in the state of Punjab. PEDA is registered as a Society under the Societies Act of 1860

State Nodal Agency for promotion & development of Renewable Energy

programs / projects in the state of Punjab

Designated Agency by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of

Power,GOI, for implementation of Energy Conservation Act-2001

State nodal agency for facilitating project for availing carbon credits under

Clean Development Mechanism.

State Nodal Agency to Co-ordinate the activities related to Bio-Fuels

production policies in the State. Punjab Energy Development Agency is operating in the following broad functional areas :

Promotion and Development of Small/Micro Hydel projects on canal falls. Promotion and Development of Biomass/Agro residue based power

projects.

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Co-generation power project in Sugar Mills and Paper industry Promotion and Development of Solar Photovoltaic and Solar thermal

power projects.

Promotion and Development of Waste to Energy projects. Promotion and Development of Solar Photovoltaic based technologies Promotion and Development of Biomass based gasifiers Promotion and Development of Solar thermal systems Implementation of Energy Conservation Act Biogas development programme through setting up large size

Institutional/Night Soil based biogas plants and Family Size biogas plants.

Energy conservation Solar Passive Architecture Fabrication of Mobile Exhibition Vans Creating Awareness & Publicity in masses to adopt Non-conventional

Energy Sources and Energy Saving / Conservation

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Number of Solar Systems installed in Punjab Year Domestic Solar Water of sytems. 19901996 19992000 20042005 20052006 20062007 20072008 20082009 Source: Punjab Energy Development Agency Biomass Power projects have the following inherent advantages over thermal power generation:
1.

Solar

Domestic Solar home lightdrier system

Solar Street light

SPV lantern

Photovolatic Cooker

Heater No.pumpsets 243 699 25 23 82 5 150 11000 1000 14 14 -

500 1040 400 2600

5 -

150 300 800 500 500

100 1500 2500

It is environment friendly because of relatively lower CO2 and particulate

emissions. 2. 3. It displaces fossil fuels such as coal. It is decentralized load based means of generation because it is produces

and consumed locally, losses associated with transmission and distribution are reduced. 29

4. 5. 6. 7.
8.

It offers emlpyment opportunities to locals. It has a low gestation period and low capital investment. It help in local revenue generation and upliftment of the rural population. It is an established and commercially viable technology option. Substantial availability of biomass/ agrowaste in the state is sufficient to produce about 1500 MW of electricity. PEDA has planned to develop

some of the available potential talukas/ tehsils with the aim to promote and install biomass/ agro waste projects. PEDA has so far allocated 30 sites / tehsils for setting up 337 MW capacilty biomass / Agrowaste based power projects under three phases. Challenges:

Despite the significance and potential of biomass as an energy source,

development of a reliable feedstock supply chain has not occurred. Developers understand that a stable, long-term feedstock agreement is essential to procuring financing for any biomass project.

Demonstrating to a landowner or farmer that the economic and other

benefits of producing biomass (the production of which is often a multi-year commitment) outweigh the current land use can be a challenge without an established demand for the feedstock. Current land use, such as row crops, hunting habitat or Conservation

Reserve Program acres, competes with biomass crops. Creating demand for feedstock also requires construction of conversion facilities, which require financing in addition to the financing of the generation facilities. And, in the true spirit of the chicken and the egg conundrum, lenders and investors require a reliable, long-term feedstock source before financing a project. Prohibitively high costs are often cited as a major driver behind decisions

to abandon biomass projects. Research into cost saving processes is currently underway. For example, it has been shown that denser fuel pellets offer cost 29

savings but the drawback is that often the pelletization process results in significant feedstock loss. At the same time, the storage and transportation costs of denser pellets are significantly lower than other densification options, such as baling. Efforts to integrate biomass with traditional agriculture, for example

through the use of crop rotation and agricultural intensification may lead to yield increases and price reductions. Sustainable harvesting techniques, such as one-pass harvesting, can

reduce harvest site fuel consumption significantly. Further, developing synergies between harvest and transport, for example by using self-compacting wagons for both harvesting and transportation, may also provide cost savings. Satellite processing may save costs by allowing certain preprocessing of

the biomass to occur before transportation to the conversion facility. Drying and densification of the feedstock with mobile equipment that can be located close to the feedstock can reduce transportation costs.

The establishment of regional processing centers that aggregate,

process, store and supply biomass to the region could also provide significant cost reductions.

In addition to drying and densification, regional centers could perform

other preprocessing procedures to homogenize feedstock from several sources.

Developers could decrease expenses associated with having multiple

feedstock contracts. The aggregator, given its size, should be able to provide a more reliable supply, as a result of the large quantities it can handle. According to the chief executive officers of several major biofuel companies, advanced biofuel commercialization is only a few years away, even though many argue that this is overly optimistic. Biomass projects will need to find the right combination of the type and location of feedstock, cost effective harvest and transportation methods and demand for output

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With an increasing number of states adopting or expanding their

renewable portfolio standards, utilities can help drive demand for biomass projects. Often utilities assign more value to biomass projects because unlike wind or solar, it is base-load power. As technology evolves, we will see maturation of the supply chain through

the introduction of satellite and regional processing facilities. These advances, in conjunction with more effective harvest techniques, the development of highyield energy crops and advancements in processing and conversion technology can all work to move the industry forward.

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ABOUT AMRITSAR DISTRICT Location of District :Amritsar district is situated in northern part of Punjab State of northwestern India. Geographical Location :Geographically Amritsar is located at 3163 north Latitudes and 7487 east Longitude. Structurally Location :Amritsar district covers an area of 5075 Sq. km. Amritsar is situated northwest of state capital Chandigarh and is very close to India's western border with Pakistan. Administration Setup :District Amritsar is divided into 4 Tehsils, 5 Sub-Tehsils, 8 Blocks, 11 Assembly Constituencies and 1 Lok Sabha constituency. Economic Condition :The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service, trades and light engineering. The city is known for its food and culture. Anaj Mandi Details :The Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board, Amritsar is having 8 marketing committee in Amritsar, Ajnala, Attari, Chowan, Gehri, Majitha, Mehta, Rayya.

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Figure 8. Map of Amritsar Climate The climate of the district is characterized by general dryness except in the brief south west monsoon season, a hot summer and bracing winter . The year may be divided in four seasons. The cold season is from November to march. The period from April to June is the hot season. The south-west monsoon season is from about the beginning of July to the first week of September. The succeeding period lasting till the beginning of November is the post-monsoon or transition period . Rainfall The average annual rainfall in the district is 541.9mm.The rainfall in the district increases generally from the south-west towards the north-east and varies from 435.5 mm at Khara to 591.7 mm at Rayya. About 74 per cent of the annual normal rainfall in the district is received during the period June to September and as much as about 13 29

per cent of the annual rainfall occurs during the period December to February .The variation in rainfall from year to year is large .In the 50 year period 1901 to 1950,the highest annual rainfall amounting to 184 per cent of the normal occurred in 1917, while the very next year was one with the lowest annual rainfall which was 54 per cent of the normal. In this 50 year period, the annual rainfall in the district was less than 80 per cent of the normal in 13 years On an average, there are 30 rainy days (i.e. days with rainfall of 2.5mm or more)in a year in the district. This number varies from 24 at Khara to 34 at Rayya. The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours recorded at any station in the district was 457.2 mm at Khara on 5 October 1955 . Temperature There is a meteorological observatory in the district at Amritsar and the records of this observatory may be taken as representative of the meteorological conditions prevailing in the district in general. From about the end of March, temperatures increase steadily till June which is the hottest month with mean daily minimum at 25.20c.The heat during the summer is intense and the hot dust laden winds which blow during the afternoons add to the discomfort .with the onset of monsoon in the district by about the end of June or the beginning of July, there is appreciable drop in the day temperature. The nights are, however as warm during the monsoon as in summer and due to the increased moisture in the monsoon air, the weather is often oppressive. After the withdrawal of monsoon early in September while the day temperatures remain as in the monsoon season, nights become progressively cooler. From October, there is a rapid drop in temperatures. January is generally the coldest month with the mean daily maximum at 4.5c. During the cold season, the district is affected by cold waves in the rear of passing western disturbances and the minimum temperature occasionally drops down to a degree or two below the freezing point of water. Frosts are common during the cold season. The highest maximum temperature recorded at Amritsar was 47.7 C on 21 May 1978..The lowest minimum was 3.3 C on 25 December 1984.

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Humidity Relative humidity is generally high in the mornings, exceeding 70 per cent except during the summer season when it is less than 50 per cent. The humidity is comparatively less in the afternoons. The driest part of the year is the summer season when the relative humidity in the afternoons is about 25 per cent or less. Cloudiness The skies are generally partly to heavily clouded and occasionally overcast during the monsoon and for brief spells of a day or two in association with passing western disturbances during the cold season .During the rest of the year, the skies are mostly clear or lightly clouded. Winds winds are generally light with some strengthening in the summer and early part of the monsoon season. In the post-monsoon and cold season, winds are light and variable in direction in the morning and mostly from the west or north-west in the afternoons. In April and May, winds are mainly from direction between north-west and north-east in the mornings and between west and north-east in the afternoons. By June, easterlies and south easterlies also blow and in the south-west monsoon season. winds are more commonly from directions between north-east and south-east. Special weather phenomena Western disturbances affect the weather over the district during the cold season, causing widespread rain and gusty winds. Dust-storms and thunderstorms occur in the summer season. Occasional fog occurs in the cold season. Population According to 2001 Census total population of District Amritsar is 2152182 .Rural population is 1050102 out of which schedule caste population is 358580 .Urban population is 1102080 out of which 229418 is schedule caste population.

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Table 10. Blockwise Rural Population Sr.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Name of Block Ajnala Chogawan Gandiwind(38 Villages) Harsha Chhina Jandiala Majitha Rayya Tarsika Verka Population 130890 131278 51733 85854 124867 137204 159877 115887 112512 SC Population 27166 35699 19733 28802 53627 54484 56380 38915 43774

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Objective of the research: 1. To study the potential of Renewable Energy sources in Rural areas of Punjab in context of Solar and Bio energy (Biomass and Biogas). 2. To evaluate the performance and usability of renewable energy (solar or Biomass or Biogas) under field conditions in rural Punjab. 3. To analyze the various constraints at the local level for implementation of renewable energy 4. To analyze the socio-economic impact of adopting renewable energy (solar and Biomass) Hypothesis: H1: Punjab has surplus agri-waste that can be utilized for biomass energy. H2: The cattle populations in villages are sufficient to produce biogas and that is very economical in comparison to other fuels. Biogas also a good substitute for diesel in DG set. H3: The banks find Renewable Energy projects bankable. H4: The technology for solar energy is still costly to be adopted in villages at mass level. H5: The awareness and maintenance issue are major concern in success of RES adoption.

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Research Methodology: Research include the evaluation of solar and bio-energy by Part - I 1. Studying the different available technology in solar and bio-energy. 2. Studying the environment of solar and bio-energy. 3. Analyzing the case study. 4. Analyzing the success and failure story related to Solar and bio-energy. Part - II Qualitative research is designed for survey. The objectives of the study were accomplished through a combination of secondary and primary research. In-depth interviews were conducted as part of qualitative survey across target segments like subject experts, farmers, user industries, government departments, NGOs, farmer cooperatives, local Govt. offices, mandis etc. I had visited the villages and directly interacted with the target segments. The present energy consumption in cooking, lighting, other domestic activities, agriculture allied activities, rural industry and transport has been worked out. An effort has been made to evaluate the present energy resources in the cluster and surplus/deficit in terms of energy resources has been worked out. Structured interviews were conducted among farmers and talked about the various aspects of power. The quantitative survey was executed across 5 villages of Punjab state by me. Over 50 interviews were conducted as part of the study. In-depth interviews conducted with: 1. Mr. Raminder Singh, DM, PEDA 2. Mr. Gurbej Singh, BDPO Verka 29

3. Mr. Kuldeep Singh, Agriculture Development Officer 4. Dairy Development Board 5. Lead Developmenet Bank Manager, PNB 6. RRB Officials 7. Co-operative Bank Officials 8. Manufacturer of Biogas Plant (2) 9. Sarpanches: 10 10. Shopkeepers: 3 11. Solar Housing System Owner (1) 12. Biogas Plant Owner (2) 13. Solar Distributor (1) 14. NGO (1) 15. Villagers (50)

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Limitations of the study

1. The findings are based on the opinions of the farmers and the officials of

concerned department. Therefore the accuracy of findings purely depends on the the opinions of the respondents. 2. As the survey is conducted in only one district of Punjab state; therefore the research methodology opted is qualitative in nature.
3. As renewable energy still is in nascent stage, so sample size for those

who adopted for solar energy is very less, so socio-economic impact of renewable energy especially solar energy is difficult to establish.

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Findings

Among all the renewable energy sources biogas plants are most feasible source and successful in Punjab. Still there is huge potential for that also, as still most of animal- waste is not properly utilized. Also biogas is utilized only for cooking purpose and not for generating power and lighting purpose, which is another area which have huge potential.

Most of the farmers are dependent on electricity for irrigation. So there is potential for Solar Pumps, but the design of Pumps should be done keeping the geographical condition in consideration.

Awareness about renewable energy is not there. No awareness camp organizes in context of renewable energy and its promotion in all the five sample villages visited.

Banks are not able to say anything about renewable energy based projects, the only one response gets from banks till now they did not receive any proposal regarding renewable energy. The banks also do not have any target for financing renewable energy based projects.

The officials of PEDA and agriculture department said that they have organized awareness camp on regular basis. So only two possibilities are there either the camps are not attended by farmers or they are not intensive.

For biomass the availability of continuous fuel supply (agri-waste) is a major issue. Also land availability is also a huge issue in Punjab, as most land comes under cultivated land.

Coordination among different agencies like PEDA, Agriculture department dairy development board, BDPO, Financial Institutions (banks, RRBs, Co-operative banks) are required. It is observed that renewable energy is not a focus area among other departments except PEDA.

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Majority of the farmers are not satisfied with the current electricity availability. Those who are satisfied also said this year power availability is good and for the past years. The availability of power for agriculture is for 6-8 hrs only and this is not sufficient. They have to depend on diesel generator set. And diesel is quite costly and this affects their profit margin hugely. Also for household the electricity department not following any pattern of power cut, and so people are not able to plan any of their work. Those who can afford have invertors in their houses, but those who cannot afford still suffering from heat. Also if there any default occurs, it takes time to rectify. Some times they have to manage own their own, and villagers take risk to rectify the fault. This is costly affairs in sense that it can take toll of the person who is doing that job also to transformers. Even the electricity bill for few poor households seems quite high.

Graph 1. Satisfaction level of Villagers for Power supply

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Are you aware about the solar energy? Most of the people either dont know about the solar energy or if they know they only there is solar energy but beyond that their knowledge is nill. The people who know about it mostly are general category also rich and literate. The major reason for this lack of awareness is: 1. No awareness camp organized in the villages regarding solar energy. 2. Also no such system is installed or working in the villages. So an intensive awareness camp should be required. Also in each village there should be sample solar system is installed.

Graph 2. Awareness level villagers about solar energy

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About biogas plants:

1. Only family based biogas plants are successful in villages, the

reason for that may be:

Community based plants create moral hazards problems as few people not contributing to the plant as a resultant conflict arises. Day to day operation people are not able to coordinate.

Another problem is the usage, as it required metering system which at present does not have.

2. The household who installed biogas plants is very much satisfied

with its working except few cases. 3. Some complaint that during winters the production of gas is less, but that can be manageable at the local level. Some cover the dome with thick layer of grass to keep it warm. 4. The major usage of biogas is only for cooking.
5. Villagers are not aware about other usage of biogas like lighting,

for running DG set which can save 80% of diesel.

6. Some farmers did not install biogas plants because their dairy is far

from their house and for laying pipeline to their house is costly affair. In such case bottling of biogas is good solution.

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Role of financial assistance and subsidy Without subsidy solar energy applications like solar pumps and SHSs are not getting acceptance as the cost of these system is quite high. Subsidy also has psychological effects, as subsidy attracts farmers. Also even economic of Biogas is very much feasible even without subsidy still a small subsidy attract the villagers to install biogas plants. As far as financial assistance is concern, there is huge scope for banks and financial institutions (especially microfinance institution) to provide credit for renewable energy projects. As an example a 10 Cu M biogas plant requires Rs. 20,000 (approx.) capital input required, Government give subsidy of Rs. 3000 to 4000 (depend upon the category). Now rest of the amount i.e, Rs. 16,000 can be credited by banks. This will not only help villagers to install biogas plant, but also a great business for banks. Also financial assistance in form of credit and subsidy make biogas plant very much successful. In case of solar Housing system and Solar Pumps, already MNRE provides huge subsidy upto 90%, which is must to promote solar energy. From the survey it is clear that villagers are very much attracted by subsidy. Out of 100 villagers almost 90% of them asked about government subsidy schemes. Also from the study of existing financial model working for renewable energy, the easy installments in form of EMIs can also very successful, especially for solar lanterns. Like a solar lanterns cost about Rs. 2400 than a EMI of 200 Rs. for is very much feasible.

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NGOs and its role in promotion of renewable energy Based on consultations amongst themselves, the NGOs recognized the biogas as a viable means for solving domestic rural energy problems, which would also fit in very well within their existing integrated agricultural and rural development programmes. While the dung (manure) from the domestic farm animals could be efficiently recycled through a biogas plant giving non-polluting & convenient cooking fuel to rural women removing their drudgery, on the other hand the biogas digested slurry would provide enriched organic manure for farming. Some of the lessons learned, based on the experience of INSEDA members in the promotion of renewable energy technologies (RETs) for two decades in rural India, which are key to the success in implementation of any RETs are summarized below: a). RETs are new & aliens to rural people, as they are developed outside the rural environment, therefore be first viewed with skepticism by the villagers. b). Any new RE technology selected for promotion should be fully matured before it is transferred, demonstration, and promoted for rural applications. c). In the initial stages of demonstration of RETs in rural areas of developing countries, failure of even one unit could create negative impact in villages, within a radius of 20-30 KMs and its short-comings would be spread like a wild fire. Therefore it is always important to first demonstrate the new RETs involving the local field agencies or NGOs who have implemented other successful developmental programmes as well as established their credibility with the local people/communities. d). Once the people are convinced about the benefits of technology, which should also be affordable then it can succeed very well. This requires a longer gestation period, either for a new technology or for the field application of a

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new technological concept, for acceptance and internalization by the local people in rural areas. e). As opposed to purely marketing approach for promotion of RE Technologies (RETs), the best strategy to follow in rural areas would be- Extension-cumSemi-commercial Approach, treating Renewable Energy Technology (RET) as the Means for empowering the local people and the community, rather than treating (RET) as an End in itself. This new strategy, in the long run, will automatically help in developing a sustainable RET market. f). Instead of treating rural areas solely as market place for RETs, the RE implementation programmes should be used for creating employment for villagers, especially for unemployed rural youth by promoting skills development training and over all capacity building of village community; as well as for strengthening village economy by starting village level, tiny ancillaries units, which could be easily managed by the local people. g). The RE promotion should be integrated with other developmental programmes so that it could promote sustainable human development, linked with quantitative as well as qualitative growth of the local people, leading to their empowerment, and in the process would also become a marketable commodity to sustain its own growth. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SUCCESS OF PEOPLE ORIENTED RENEWABLE ENERGY BASED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Based on the analysis of the experiences of promotion of various renewable energy technologies, some of the important issues are presented below, which would help in the planning and initiating appropriate decentralised rural energy programmes, especially for implementing peoples centered, electric power generation, focusing on empowering target groups & communities in developing countries: a). The implementation organization should recognize the richness of the socio-cultural diversity of the local population, which needs to be respected and preserved while promoting RETs; as well as RET based developmental programme. This could only be 29

done by following a process-oriented approach, comprising demonstration, awareness, education, capacity building through training, technical literacy and skills development in renewable energy. b). The process-oriented approach, even though slow in the beginning but essential, and would play the crucial role in acceptance, adoption, assimilation, absorption and internalization of sustainable energy options for a better future of the local people/ communities, treating them as one of the main partners and stakeholders. c). Critical awareness of the local people about the pros and cons of the RET based programmes as well as the implications of such programmes to them is a must. Local people (the target group/community) should be treated as the primary stakeholders in any decentralized projects meant for their benefits, rather than treating them only as beneficiaries of the project. e). Programme should create employment and self-employment for local people. f). The technology as well as the technological solutions should be de-mystified so that people can operate, manage, maintain, service and repair it locally and their spare parts should be easily available. g). Capacity building of the different actors involved is the key to the success of the RET programmes for rural applications. h). Promoting and strengthen the decentralized structures (End Users Cooperatives and MLPIs- Micro Level Peoples Institutions) for installation, generation, operation, service, repair & maintenance and management of electrical power & energy services in a decentralized manner, especially for rural & far-flung areas of the developing countries. i). Integrating energy programme with the other developmental programmes of the villages, which could also give the local people revenue for re-paying the operating cost of the energy system as well as opens up the best possibilities for utilization of the surplus energy generated, with the local economic growth. j). The RE promotion should integrate with the other community development programmes, to meet the most important non-economic needs of the individuals rural

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families and the village communities as a whole, and in the process it should also promote Sustainable Human Development (SHD). k). Removing drudgery of women in fetching of water for domestic purposes, collection of fire wood and health problems associated with these activities, l). Saving in time for the women which could be used by them for resting and relaxing (from cooking, domestic chores and other related activities), One of the best way to implement renewable energy activities in rural areas is to integrate it with the eco-food production for regenerating the micro-agro-eco system, by promoting sustainable energy based eco-village systems as a strategy for long-term development as well as conservation & preservation of rural environment Flexible funding of RE programmes for development of human resources in rural areas and linking them with entrepreneurship development programme and creation of a large number of bare foot managers, and barefoot technicians for installation, repair and maintenance Appropriate trainings of rural people in skill development, repair & maintenance, rural entrepreneur development for implementation of RET programme, should be taken-up on massive scale, for decentralized implementation, maintenance and repairs etc. Such programme should be aimed at providing sustainable income to women, rural unemployed youths, landless peasants, local artisans and masons. This should be backed by adequate supply of gadgets/ appliances/ equipments etc. with the RET Resource Centres established with the NGOs operating at the grass roots levels, on self-supporting Experience of NGOs in the promotions of appropriate renewable energy technologies (RETs) in the rural areas for over two decades have shown that there are several problems yet provides challenging opportunities for the implementation of RETs in villages. These problems need to be studied and analyzed properly in the context of the given socio-cultural realities, and the local people/communities are adequately motivated and prepared, before the introduction of any new RET otherwise there would be good chances of its failure, as these technologies are new & aliens to rural 29

people. It would require a process oriented approach and longer gestation period, for a new technology or a new technological concept, for the acceptance and internalization by the rural people. Once the villagers are convinced about their benefits viz. a viz. their existing local technology, and if they can also afford then the new RETs can be accepted and adopted very well. From the calculations in table 1 & 2, it can be seen that by installing average size of 2 M3 capacity household biogas, which would utilize 750 million kg of dung per day from domestic farm animals, at present being dumped in heaps or in open pits for making organic manure, and was responsible for releasing methane (CH4) emission in the atmosphere would be abated Therefore, by installing all the potential 20 million household plant of 2 M3 average capacity, rural India would be able to abate 660 million tones (@ 66 million tones per year of with average plant working days of 330 per year) of carbon dioxide equivalent of methane emission in their Useful Working Life of 10 year of these plants. In addition to preventing release of green house gas to the atmosphere and thus creating positive environmental impact, these household BGPs would also become instrumental in promoting ecological agriculture, using enriched organic manure from the BGPs, in rural India. Thus there is a strong case for NorthSouth collaboration in the implementation of household plant in rural India.

Any technology programme launched in the developing countries must be critically analyzed in respect to the socio-cultural and the socio-technical aspects, treating technology only as a means and not the end in itself, so that the needs of such unserved areas or regions could be met effectively, using a developmental approach, which is the only way to empower the local people. For this purpose a new and alternate strategy, focusing on people centered development, which will have to recognize the rural people as the primary stakeholders in their own development. Such a strategy will have to integrate rural poverty alleviation programme and increased food production with the focus on appropriate agro-

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ecological and renewable energy development based on sound environmental principles and approach. Conclusion: 7. Awareness about renewable energy is very less among villagers of Punjab.
8. The installation of solar systems in the district is quite less, to

create awareness already working model is quite useful as it motivates others to go for RES.
9. There is huge scope for renewable energy in Punjab both in

biomass and solar but, financial linkage is required for both individual HHs system and large power generating system.
10. In Punjab the ground water is depleting at very fast rate and water

table is going down from 30-50 cms annually and has reached a stage where farmers have to deepen their tubewells and install new turbine pumping system with higher power requirements and electric motors so that they can go further deep to draw water to irrigate their crops. In such a scenario the current solar powered pumps are ineffective and the cost increase subsequently if we further increase the panel size.

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Comments:

India took a big leap foreword in the encouragement of renewable energy, especially the two most appropriate rural based technologies, namely, biogas and smokeless & efficient biomass stoves, but other RETs though have large potentials are yet to make any noteworthy dent and impact in terms of reach and acceptability in Indian villages.

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Suggestion: 1. Best practices manuals for dissemination of information about success stories. 2. Manuals/ application. 3. Project Development Documents for sample projects for CER brochures giving tech./ equipment details for different

mechanisms 4. Bio-Energy is one of the most promising alternatives and holds a great potential to meet the rural energy needs of the country. India has formulated and implemented a number of innovative policies and programs to promote Bio-Energy technologies. However, according to some preliminary studies, the success rate is marginal compared to the potential available. This limited success is a clear indicator of the need for a serious reassessment of the Bio-Energy programs on a large scale. Further, a realization of the need for adopting a sustainable energy path to address the above challenges will be the guiding force in this reassessment. 5. Among the available types of renewable energy, biomass is unique in its ability to provide solid, liquid and gaseous fuels which can be stored and transported 6. Most important task in order to promote renewable energy and to ensure its success proper awareness camps should be organized. 7. From the Government side it should be promoted to use solar energy. Solar system should be installed in public premises like schools, street lights, clinics.

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8. Solar energy products like solar lanterns, solar Pumps, Solar Housing Systems that is individual targeted, that should be properly credit linked and innovative model should be adopted to finance. Like EMIs should be provided so that consumer did not feel the pinch. 9. For community cooking like mid-day meals in schools, Gurudwaras, in solar energy option, I will recommend a direct cooking system, Scheffler concentrator of 16 sqm size. This is capable of cooking up to 100 people easily. This is a bit expensive cooker, costs around Rs. 1.6 lakhs, but this is autotracking and can work throughout the day. This cooker also has a facility to cook indoores. Concentrator is outdoors while the focus is indoors. 10. If the budget does not permit this, then one can go for 2.3 m dia. dish community solar cooker. This cooker is capable of only boiling applications and can cook for 40 people and costs around Rs. 25000/-. This is manually tracked and outdoor application. But I will not recommend this system, as this is difficult to handle.

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Questionnaire for farmers/ Villagers Village Name: Name: Educational Qualification: Family Size: Occupation: Land Holding: No. of cattle: Fuels used for cooking: 1. LPG 2. Kerosene 3. Wood 4. Cow Dung cake 5. Any other Approximate expenditure in fuel for cooking? Your monthly electricity bill: What are your views about current power status in your village? How many hours electricity available for HHs usage? How many hours electricity available for Agriculture usage? If in case of any fault in power e.g, in transformer, is electricity department quick in response? How you utilize agro-waste?

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How you utilized animal waste? Have you installed biogas plant? If yes, How you came to know about it? Have you got any subsidy for that? For what purpose you are utilizing: Cooking Lighting Diesel generator set What are the benefits you get after its installation? Is functioning satisfactorily? What are the problems you faced while its operation? If No, Why? Are you aware about solar energy? If yes, What you know about it? How you got the knowledge about it? Are you using any application of solar energy? If yes, 1. Which one you are using? Solar Housing System Solar Pump Solar Lantern 29

Solar Cooker Solar water heater 2. Are you satisfied with its functioning? If yes, what are the benefits you get? If no, what are the difficulties you are facing or faced? Is there any awareness camp organized in recent past regarding renewable energy? What are you expecting from any solar device?

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Important findings from the In-depth interview with PEDA district manager.

Only Biogas is sustainable on its own in Punjab. Even if Subsidy is not provided still people will go for biogas plants.

Solar technology is quite costly and much more innovation is required to reduce the cost of solar PV system

Solar water heating system is also successful, but its application is only at industrial level. So at village level no solar heating system installed till now.

About solar cooker he said that handling of solar cooker is quite pathetic. As far as human excreta usability is concern two important impediments came out:
o

Social issue as people not want to handle human excreta at all. Also they think anything associated with human excreta should not be used for cooking purpose.

Ph value disturbed because to flush human excreta water requirement is more than animal waste.

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Findings from the in-depth interview with solar housing system user Beneficiary Name: Gur Avtar Singh Age: 37 Occupation: Agriculture Family Size: 5 No. of cattle: 10 According to him power is available for agriculture for 6 hours during paddy season for three months and for rest of months it is available for only 3 hours. Highly dissatisfied with current power status despite acknowledging the power status is improved from past year. He installed 1 plate with battery in 2009, cost:- Rs. 5,300 (with subsidy) One more plate in 2010, Cost:- 6,500 He came to know about SHS through a friend who is working in Government department. Than went to PEDA district office and they installed system.

Observation 1: The Solar Housing system not functioning, picture below shows the PV plates.

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Picture: PV plates 1 SHS consists of 1 battery and a solar panel, meant for 1 DC fan and a CFL. According to him one plate system is not sufficient for his daily requirement. He manages to get 1 more plate. He also told us one of his known person installed Solar Pump of 2 KW but later on he dismantle that system. Now a days he is using that system for lighting purpose. The reason for that is the pump is not performing satisfactorily. The water it pump is less. The reason is that water table goes down. The boring should be done upto 200 foot. Another problem the user of Solar Pumps is facing the maintenance. First, the mechanics are not available. Second, the parts are not easily available. He also installed Biogas plant 3 years back. Cost of the plant is Rs. 25,000 Biogas only used for cooking. He is very much satisfied with the working of Biogas plant. He also have diesel generator set. Cost of DG set is Rs. 70,000 and for 1 hr. Rs. 2000 diesel burnt.

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Picture - . Actual Biogas Plant Agri-residue The residue of wheat is used as fodder for cattle. Residue of Paddy is sold by him. Tudi (residue of Paddy) is sold at price of Rs. 250-300 per quintal. In 1 kila about 10 quintal of residue is collected. Still 30% of the agri-residue burned because of difficulty in collection. He have three tubewell connection as according to him electricity is available only for 8 hrs. so 3 tubewells solve his purpose.

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Picture 1. Two page pamphlet distributed to one of the beneficiaries of solar housing system.

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References Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Official Website, Govt. of India www.mnre.gov.in PEDA :: Punjab Energy Development Agencies peda.gov.in National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development - NABARD www.nabard.org TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute www.teriin.org/ A Bibliography on Carbon Sequestration and Biomass Estimation, Forest Carbon Monitoring Program Working Paper 96/03, Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Develop Bio Energy Council of India http://www.bioenergyindia.org Census 2011 Government of India, Department of Agriculture & cooperation ... agricoop.nic.in/ http://eands.dacnet.nic.in/latest_2006.htm (agri-statistics 2010) Punjab State Electricity Board http://www.pseb.gov.in

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