A THOUSAND SUNS IN THE
NIGHT
On the way to
the Ooty hill resort in Tamil Nadu is a sleepy village called
Selas, basking in the pristine glory of nature. Hutments in the
village are scattered here and there like stars in a cloudy sky.
Although bereft of sophistication, an eco-tourist would be pleased
to view its sylvan surroundings. But nights here are equally grand.
The forest village turns bright soon after the sunset. This becomes
possible because of the solar photovoltaic cells (SPVs) installed
there with the subsidy of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy
Sources. The array of batteries attached to the sleek solar panels
stores the sun’s energy for use at night.
Sun rays are known
as photons in scientific parlance. They are almost equal in mass
and momentum like the electrons that orbit around the nucleus
of atoms. It is a familiar scene for almost all of us to see one
moving ball evicting another idle ball and occupying its position
when it is made to dash against the latter. The same phenomenon
takes place when the photons hit the surface of specially-made
silicon cells called solar photovoltaic cells by which the photons
knock out the electrons in the silicon cells. The electrons thus
get charged and generate electricity. The power could thus generated
be stored in a battery for use in the night. India gets abundant
sunlight almost throughout the year. It has the potential of generating
20 MW solar energy every square km. Another way to generate electricity
from the sun is the solar thermal technique by which solar heat
is used to produce steam that can activate the turbines of dynamos
to generate power.
According to the
16th Electric Power Survey India needs 1,07,000 MW of additional
energy to light all its villages by the year 2012. Around 80 thousand
villages are yet to be electrified. Of them, about 18,000 are
like the Selas habitat mentioned above which cannot be connected
by the main grid easily. The best option for them would naturally
be solar power. The Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy
Sources has geared itself to meet the power needs of such villages
from the sun, the inexhaustible source of energy. It has asked
all State governments to furnish a list of far-flung villages
beyond the reach of conventional electrification. Chances are
brightening for around 5000 villages across the country to be
provided with solar power during the ongoing Tenth Plan. So far,
2700 villages in the country have been electrified this way. The
Centre gives Rs 11000 per solar photovoltaic street light of 74
watts as subsidy. In case of the North-Eastern States the amount
is Rs 18000.
Solar lanterns for
households are also provided with central subsidy, depending on
the model of the solar home system and its wattage. For example,
an 18 watt solar lantern would fetch upto Rs 3000 subsidy. For
the North-East it is Rs 5000. For solar home systems like lights
and fans, any interested individual is eligible to install them
and avail the Central subsidy. Organizations running on no-profit
basis could also use the opportunity. Street lighting systems
could be established by the panchayats, electricity boards and
District Rural Development Agencies which are helped by the State-level
energy development outfits. The manufacturers of silicon raw materials
and solar photovoltaic cells are given loans with a soft interest
rate of 7.5 per cent by the Indian Renewable Energy Development
Agency.
Apart from individual
solar appliances, solar power plants are also fast picking up
in the country. The Centre grants Rs 1.80 lakh per kilowatt capacity
of power plants as subsidy. So far an aggregate of 61 MW power
capacity using solar photovoltaic cells has been installed.
In Tamil Nadu, solar
street lights have become a hit among the cash-starved panchayats
in the plains as well. Most of the rural panchayats pay a lion’s
share of their scanty revenue to the State Electricity Board for
street lights. They are left with meagre amounts for other development
works. Hence they find the concept of solar street lights attractive,
as the subsidy of the Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy
Sources makes it cheaper them to getting power connection from
a conventional source. Solar power involves no recurring cost.
It is economical and cleaner. The Tamil Nadu Energy Development
Agency (TEDA) entertains demands for a minimum of five poles in
every panchayat that choose the solar option. The demand has to
come from the panchayats through the district collectors. The
Tamil Nadu Government has aimed at establishing 150 solar street
lights in remote and inaccessible tribal pockets as part of its
measures to ensure cent per cent electrification of the whole
State by 2005. For Tamil Nadu, the Centre released Rs 73.75 lakh
in the last fiscal for installation of solar energy systems, up
by 133 per cent as compared to the previous year.
Selas basks in the
power from the non-polluting solar source. Its success story is
fast getting replicated in other villages of Tamil Nadu with Central
assistance.
Inputs
from M Jaya Singh, AIO, PIB, Chennai
