Renewable Energy : NGOs Interventions

NERI
Navreet Energy Research and Information (NERI) is a registered society working in the field of eco-friendly energy and optimum utilization of natural resources and its management for up-gradation of livelihoods of rural community in a sustainable way. In conformation to its objectives NERI is implementing a project on Clean and Green Energy Technology and Organic Farming concept towards Empowerment and better livelihoods of Farmers with the Small Grants Program.
The specific objectives of the project are :
• To implement and propagate clean practices of energy, towards irrigation in fields by biomass powered irrigation pumps.
• To promote organic farming, use of bio-pesticides and vermi-composting at rural level, using locally available resources for environmental and economic benefits.
• Enriching the fertility of soil and helping farmers in getting more value form the agriculture fields. The project aims at promoting Biomass waste as an ideal fuel and demonstrating its use for running irrigation pumps and use of available biomass, animal and kitchen waste in the form of manure and bio pesticides.
The specific projected outputs of the project are:
• 19350 kg of carbon emission will be saved through ten bio-mass powered irrigation pumps
• Considerable amount of oxides, nitrogen, sulfur and hydrocarbon emission will be reduced
• USD 18877 will be saved annually on diesel by farmers
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TERI : Capacity building for the state regulators and policy makers in mainstreaming of RETs in a reformed electricity sector.
Sponsor(s): Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP);Suzlon Energy Limited
Start Date: June 2005
The objective of the project is to apprise and train the regulators and policy makers in AP (Andhra Pradesh), about the international instruments like German Feed-in Tariff; RTC (renewable tax credit) and REO (renewable energy obligation).
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TERI : Development of renewable energy projects for CDM (clean development mechanism) (Source)
Sponsor(s) : Asian Development Bank
Completion date : July 2005
To facilitate a regular supply of electricity for the poor in Indonesia, the project aims to build § four Mini hydro power projects, § a geothermal power plant, and § a Hydro power plant on the river Poigar. 1.) The four Mini hydro power projects will be built at three island Provinces?West Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Neggara?of Indonesia. These projects, Merasap, Mongango, Lobong, Ndungga, will have a total generating capacity of 6.2 MW. The purpose of these projects is to generate electricity through Renewable Energy use and thereby reduce the emission of the Green House Gases.

TERI : Development of renewable energy projects for CDM (clean development mechanism) (Source)
Sponsor(s): Asian Development Bank
Start Date: August 2004
The objective of the project is to expand renewable energy use and thereby limit the emission of greenhouse gases. This would include enabling PLN to market its emissions reduction credit from the subprojects under CDM and contribute to building its in-house capacity to identify and develop similar CDM projects in future.

TERI : GOF climate change and energy programme - design of renewable energy credit system for India (Source)
Sponsor(s): British High Commission(BHC)
Start Date: October 2007
The project aims to develop a framework for renewable energy credit system in association with the Maharshtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. The framework will be developed for the state of Maharashtra.

TERI-SDC Partnership - Rural domestic sector policy research on promotion and adoption of cleaner technolgies/fuels by low-capacity end-users (Source)
Sponsor(s): Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Start Date: April 2000
The main objectives are (a) to facilitate rapid energy transitions to better technologies by developing strategies for delivery of quality energy services for cooking and lighting in the rural areas; (b) study barriers/constraints to rapid transition to better energy services, in terms of easy access and quality services, and develop appropriate strategies to overcome these barriers; (c) to address issues relating to the rural household energy, such as accelerating the rate of energization of households for cooking and lighting and facilitating an easy access to quality energy services; (d) to develop similar case studies in other states of India.

TERI : Feasibility study on jatropha plantation and bio-diesel production for NWCF (Source)
Sponsor(s): North West Chemicals and Fertilizers
Start Date: November 2007
This study will cover the following the aspects. (1) Climatic requirements for growing jatropha. (2) Considerations for site selection and jatropha cultivation. (3) Analysis of the existing government policies. (4) Review of suitable models for undertaking plantation and production of biodiesel. (5) Selection of plausible technology for oil extraction and transesterification. (6) Infrastructure requirements. (7) Capital costs of plantations.

TERI : Biodiesel feasibility study for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd: Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh
Sponsor(s): Hindustan Petroleum Corpn Limited
Start Date: May 2006
Under this project, TERI will collaborate with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd for carrying out a feasibility study for jatropha-based biodiesel production in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
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LOKVIKAS
“Integrated Energy Efficiency programme in Rural Sector of North Gujarat”
This project aims to help people in the rural areas adopt energy saving practices and to suggest alternatives to more eco-friendly and healthier fuels. This would mean less dependence on fossil fuels and other biofuels of energy that have been leading to high levels of indoor air pollution and causing excess pressure on the forests. The energy use pattern in the project area will be documented, energy efficiency status will be identified and, workshops and capacity building programmes for women, school children, youth, farmers, mechanics, and other groups such as the Panchayat Pani Samiti will be conducted. The Saket Group of Industries, an energy auditor and an energy saving company will be mobilized for technical support in the study. People will also be motivated to take up market-based activities. Communication material on the observations made during the course of the project will be developed in the local language.

BAIF : Renewable Energy and Environment
The community biogas plants established in two locations in Karnataka are being managed by the local women groups. Introduction of sand bed filter to drain out the water from the digested slurry has helped to convert slurry into non-sticky cake within three days. Thus the members of the participating community can bring dung in baskets and take back the cake. In bio-energy started villages, electricity generated from biogas has been a boon to take up village water distribution and eliminate the street lamps.
It takes a long time to realise the impact of Renewable Energy and Environmental Conservation. Over the last two decades, subabul has been widely accepted by the farming community as well as the agencies involved in social forestry. It has been observed that livestock owners prefer to establish subabul and other fodder trees on field bunds and borders to meet shortfall of fodder. There has been a great demand for good quality subabul seeds particularly from the farmers of Andhra Pradesh who have been taking up the cultivation for supplying wood to paper mills.
Several industrial greenbelts developed by BAIF have not only helped in changing the micro climate but have also been attracting visitors for recreation. At Ghansoli adjoining Thane-Belapur industrial belt, about 5 km from New Mumbai, the plantation sponsored by NOCIL has been attracting atleast 2000 visitors during weekends. Looking to the favourable change in the micro climate, the local villagers have been extending full cooperation and are helping BAIF to protect the plantations effectively.
The demonstrations established by IPCL at Nagothane to cultivate various fruit trees as part of green cover development, using treated effluents has attracted farmers in the locality to take up similar plantations on private lands. Looking to their enthusiasm, IPCL has been extending timely support and technical guidance.
The industrial plantation at Gokak Mills spread over 120 ha has been another significant site for nature lovers. Once totally barren land has now a lush green cover of neem, subabul and several precious species. The plantation has been attracting a wide range of wildlife and motivating various organizations to take up similar work on their wastelands.
Looking to the success in the field for promotion of biogas installations and smooth maintenance, BAIF has been entrusted the responsibility of further promotion of biogas in Rajasthan and Gujarat. With difficulties in meeting the cooking energy from the traditional sources and the subsidy made available from Government agencies, a large number of farmers are coming forward to install biogas plants.
The replicability of community managed biogas plants on a wider scale, depends on the financial support available, as the farmers themselves have no interest in making huge capital investments while highly subsidized fuel such as kerosene and cooking gas are available in the market.

National Centre for Human settlements and Environment (NCHSE)
“Augmentation of Energy needs through Biogas and Afforestation for Tribals”
The project was designed to mitigate the loss of biodiversity. It incorporated the supply of plants for fuel wood and other timbers thereby not only to reduce the pressure on the existing biomass and also reduce the exploitation of the natural resources but also to provide species for planting that were more useful to them and were also becoming extinct. The project offered a scope to mitigate a source of pollution in the rural and mainly tribal households by providing a clean pollution free fuel.

Renewable Energy : Corporate Interventions

BHEL
BHEL shares the growing concern on issues related to Environment and Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), and is committed to protecting Environment in and around its own establishment, and to providing safe and healthy environment to all its employees. For fulfilling these obligations, a Health, Safety & Environmental Policy has been formulated and implemented through management systems. 

In recognition of this, BHEL has been awarded the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems Certification and OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems Certification from M/s Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Under UNDP programme for specialized services in the area of Environment, BHEL has set up a Pollution Control Research Institute (PCRI). BHEL also has a Model Centre for Occupational Health Services at Trichy (Tiruchchirappalli) , which is a pioneer in this field in India. Today it offers a wide range of occupational health care as well as expertise in work Environment monitoring, Toxicology, Ergonomics and in organization of OHS to multitude of industries for different sectors in India. Few ILO sponsored candidates from African countries have undergone training at this Model centre. 

BHEL is a member of CoRE (Corporate Roundtable on Development of Strategies for Environment) launched by The Energy Research Institute (TERI). CoRE is envisaged as a means to facilitate a proactive and catalytic role for industry in addressing the environmental problems plaguing India and helping the industry towards sustainability paradigm. CoRE is now a partner organization to the WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). It has signed a memorandum of understanding with WBCSD, now called as CoRE-BCSD, India. Interfaces between companies such as BHEL, TERI and the WBCSD would provide an important link to address issues of sustainable development at a global level and to learn and exchange experience of the participating companies.

BHEL’s commitment to environmental issues can be seen as an integral part of its core business. In the field of Non-conventional and Renewable Energy, BHEL has successfully launched products like wind electric generators, solar heating systems, solar photovoltaic systems, solar lanterns and battery powered road vehicles. Technology upgradation has been done to minimise environmental impact of fossil energy products,by way of low-NOx oil/ gas burners, circulating fluidised bed combustion boilers etc.

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Balrampur Chini Mills
In a world that is getting increasingly concerned about whether manufacturers working with natural resources are exploiting the environment, it would be worth appreciating that the sugar industry goes one responsible step further: it directly contributes to making the world a cleaner place to live in. This is happening through two principal applications - the production of a clean automotive fuel additive and clean power

1. ETHANOL, GREEN FUEL

One of the most attractive applications of molasses (sugar byproduct) is in the manufacture of ethanol, an environment friendly fuel. Being an oxygenate, ethanol contains 35 per cent oxygen, helps combust fuel more completely and reduces vehicular tailpipe emissions.

Over the last year, the government of India encouraged the blend of ethanol with automotive fuel to the extent of 5 per cent in nine states and four union territories; this is likely to be extended to the entire country following which the blend is expected to be raised to 10 per cent in line with the trend in other countries.

This progressive use of ethanol will not only reduce the vehicular pollution load in the environment but also accelerate the company's migration to Euro IV norms.

THE BALRAMPUR RESPONSE

The company commissioned a 40 klpd ethanol plant at its Balrampur unit in 2002-03 followed by a 60 klpd ethanol plant at Babhnan in January 2004. The company's entire production of ethanol is secured by way of stable longterm contracts with oil majors like IOL, HPCL, BPCL and IBP

2. BAGASSE, RENEWABLE POWER SOURCE

The use of bagasse (byproduct) in the co-generation of power represents three attractive propositions: cost saving, income generation and the prudent substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.

Over the last few years, with the onset of power sector reforms the trend towards co-generation has accelerated.

This is line with the global preference for renewable energy forms. For instance, the European Union and other developed countries have specified that a percentage of incremental power should come from renewable sources to protect the environment from greenhouse gases, a feature that is reflected in India's Electricity Act 2003.

The Kyoto Protocol represents an extension of this spirit into practice. It was adopted under the UNO framework of conventional climatic changes designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming. It would be relevant to indicate that power co-generated from bagasse represents a renewable energy source and meets all the parameters of the Kyoto Protocol.

THE BALRAMPUR RESPONSE

Balrampur's two co-generation plants - at Balrampur and Haidergarh - possess a combined capacity 39.8 MW. These plants have not only serviced the company's complete power requirement at these two units, helping it save the differential cost that it would have had to pay for commercial purchase; they have also generated a steady income of Rs 47.37 cr in 2003-04. In doing so, they have addressed also the parameters of the Kyoto Protocol.