Greentech Lead India: Greenpeace has announced a revolutionary rural electrification model based on smart micro grid technology.
The project, initially announced in Dharnai village in Jehanabad district of Bihar, is a self-sustainable model replicable across India, according to Greenpeace.
Co-implemented with BASIX and Centre for Environment and Energy Development, the micro grid will involve about 100 kilowatts of solar panels that will supply affordable, sustainable and round the clock electricity to 350 households in Dharnai.
The micro grid is targeted to become operational by next year.
The Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) delivery system is a game changer for rural electrification in India catering to the energy ambitions of the people and galvanizing the rural economy, said Samit Aich, executive director, Greenpeace India.
Greenpeace selected Dharnai keeping in mind the socio economic profile, demography and accessibility of the village. The village was electrified previously, but has lost its electricity infrastructure and is currently dependent on unreliable and costly diesel generators.
The micro-grid model can be used to provide electricity for domestic and commercial use, Greenpeace claims.
BASIX India hopes the success of this unique model will attract investors and push the government to improve the regulatory framework.
Greenpeace demands that the Bihar government recognize DRE as key to ensuring energy access and create a regulatory structure to support it rather than investing into polluting coal and dangerous nuclear technologies.
“In a meeting in 2012, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had suggested that Greenpeace should display the viability of DRE and here we are with a model that can lead Bihar out of an endless energy crisis. We do hope that on the completion of the project the government will scale up and replicate the model at the state level and put Bihar on a novel but sustainable development path powered by clean energy,” said Manish Ram, energy campaigner, Greenpeace India.
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