Integrated Energy Model

Manoj Mahata    mmahata@devalt.org

Piprahar is a small village of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh, residing around 180 plus households. Nearly 40% of them are migrated families from Rihand village under Resettlement and Rehabilitation program of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), who are still fighting for a stable life. Quite a few earn their basic needs from NTPC. However, underutilization of land and manpower is the primary road block to their multidimensional development. This problem can significantly be overcome with utilizing the available resources to provide reliable energy services.

The Distributed Generation Project (DG) is an initiative taken by NTPC to address the above issue. Development Alternatives (DA) has an opportunity to chalk out and an ‘Energy centric’ integrated development programme for Piprahar. Considering resource availability and seasonal variation of energy demand, this village is very much suitable for 25 kW biomass gasifier yet there are following questions on sustainability part of it:

  1. 1. Plant load factor (PLF) is as low as 25% for nine months when the plant does not have to meet water requirements for irrigation.
  2. 2. Due to underutilization of plant capacity, economic development based on fuel forestry slows down.
  3. 3. Since, the cost of diesel-based irrigation is very high and availability of water for irrigation is beyond the individual household, utilization of land and manpower is almost zero during summer, which interrupts the supply of biomass during rainy and winter season.
  4. 4. Low paying capacity of the community prevents any increase in domestic load which again leads to low PLF.

Addressing the above stated issues and problems, one can foresee the situation where there is no one to one solution for each problem, there is a need to implement that solution first which can work as a panacea. Based on the multi-dimensional techno-social analysis, it was found out that adding off peak load through introducing hybrid sunflower can streamline other issues to a certain extent which at later stage can be solved by proper implementation of social engineering techniques.
Benefits from DDESI Integrated Energy Model

Sub-systems of Model Benefits to villagers Benefits to Village Energy Committee*
Irrigation Availability of cheap source of energy, leading them towards higher profit and hence, better Return of Investment (ROI) Consistent and major demand will ensure financial viability of the model.
Introduction of Hybrid Sunflower during Summer Sunflower oil (edible) and sunflower stock (biomass) based economy with maximum ROI.

·Ensures constant supply of biomass during rainy and winter season.
Increases PLF during off-peak season (summer) and hence reduce unit production cost.

Fuel Forestry

·   Stops ever growing illegal deforestation

·   Generates fuel-wood based economy

Green impact on environment.

·Ensures supply of biomass

Builds scope for bio-diesel production

Water Harvesting

·   More area under irrigation to maximize resource (land) utilization for better economy

Improvement in ever depleting water table

·Ensures constant supply of water for irrigation, leading to increased demand of energy.

 

Establishing Micro-Enterprising
(Atta Chakki, Dal/Oil Mill, Micro Concrete Roofing tiles, Video Hall, Battery Charging Station)

 

·   Additional economy for entrepreneur.

·   Reduction in opportunity cost of various essential commodities.

·   Improving standard of living

Promotion of self-sustainable value added micro enterprise model to develop emerging rural market

·Increased PLF

·Scope for different other energy services is established

 

Community Energy Services (power to community building and places, street lights, supply of drinking water) Improve reinforced belongingness, so as to mobilize the whole community for different other development activities. Ensure public participation through building upon the social capital.

Domestic Energy Services

(Light, Fan & TV (optional))

 

·   Quality domestic lighting

·   Less indoor air pollution due to elimination of kerosene.

Better quality of life

·  Continuous year round load

High possibility of future demand.

 

DA at present is working as a catalyst to bring Aditya Birla Rural Technology Park, a local development organization, and NTPC together so as to ensure proper implementation of this project with the help of their respectively core competencies for the overall development of Piprahar.

Passing the Baton

It is with great pleasure that we announce the recent decision of the Governing Council of Development Alternatives to elevate the two Vice Presidents of the organisation, Dr Arun Kumar and George C. Varughese, to the newly created positions of President for Business Ventures and President for Development Enterprises, respectively. 

Arun Kumar joined Development Alternatives in 1989, having earlier worked in academic scientific research (Birmingham University, and the Atomic Energy agencies of the UK and India) and corporate research and management.  His first assignment in DA was as Manager of the Technology Systems Branch for seven years.  In this position, he pioneered many of the basic principles and processes, now recognized worldwide, for the innovation and development of appropriate technology.  Under his guidance, DA designed and TARA delivered into the rural market a wide range of technologies aimed at providing households and communities in rural India with products and services for fulfilling their basic needs: cooking and lighting energy, drinking water, cost-effective construction, recycled paper, handlooms and other livelihoods.  Since 1997, he has been Vice President of Development Alternatives, in which capacity he has been primarily responsible for out scaling and expanding the capacity of the organisation to deliver its services nationwide.  TARA, TARA Nirman Kendra and DESI Power owe much of their success to Arun’s leadership.  As President (BV), Arun Kumar will have the overall mandate for achieving the full potential of the DA Group’s systems for innovation, production and marketing its technologies. 

George Varughese joined Development Alternatives in 1985.  Earlier, he had practiced for several years as a civil engineer and construction manager and received a degree in regional planning.  In the early years of the organisation, he took responsibility for a wide range of activities, particularly shaping the programmes of the Environment Systems Branch, establishing the technical and intellectual capacity of the branch and many other assignments that included managing the construction of the first Headquarters of the organization, which was based on innovative compressed earth technology.  Since 1997, as Vice President of DA, George has been overall in charge of strategic planning, financial management, network development and institutional capacity building.  From this position, he built up and managed two major grant-making programmes, the Global Environment Facility on behalf of UNDP and the Poorest Areas Civil Society fund on behalf of DFID, creating a nationwide network of grassroots organisations and helping to enrich their work in the field of sustainable development.  As President (DE), George will be responsible for the institutional development needs of the DA Group and for the community, environment, information and other aspects of the Group’s mission.  

Running an organisation is in some ways like running a relay race.  The most successful teams are those that have the fittest and most dedicated members, the highest levels of trust and coordination among them, and the ability to make smooth transitions and transfers of responsibility.  Each of the two new presidents has clearly defined duties and assignments but they also have demonstrated the ability to work together with the synergy needed for DA to contribute meaningfully to building a sustainable future for the nation.  In addition to continuing their mentoring role within the organisation, they will be responsible for nurturing the next generation of leaders capable of taking over their own duties in due course. 

Both have been active members of the Management Committee of the DA Group, the highest level internal decision making body of the organization, and they will also be members of the Governing Council of DA.     

Ashok Khosla will continue to be Chairman of the Governing Council of Development Alternatives and CEO of TARAhaat.q

 

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