PUNE DRAFT LAW TO EXPLOIT RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

Pune based World Institute of Sustainable Energy WISE has prepared a draft law to exploit renewable energy resources. Among some of the provisions of this law are:
Mandatory solar water heating by 2012
Solar lighting in govt. buildings by 2010
Captive diesel plants to be converted to bio-fuel
Trade of renewable energy certificates between states
Renewable transport fuel obligations for oil companies
Policy of automotive bio-fuel expected in six months
Energy efficiency programme for railroad and air traffic

The draft law does not put any financial burden on state governments and no subsidies have been proposed. It recommended the setting up a separate fund for encouraging renewable energy sources. Inorder to facilitate effecting enforcement of the law, several existing laws such as the Boiler Act, Motor Vehicles Act and the Environment Protection Acts would need to be ammended. This draft law if passed will be a roadmap for a new independence in energy resources.

DR KARVE'S SMOKELESS CHULHAS HELP BACKYARD VILLAGES

Dr. Priyadarshini Karve , a local college teacher has been awarded the prestigious World Technology Network WTN Award 2005 for her innovate smokeless chulhas which she designed with the local NGO ARTI Pune. Charcoal is made by burning agricultural waste in an oxygenless condition and then crushing the charred remains into a fine poweer. The fine powder is then compressed into small cubes, which are fed for the specially designed chulhas designed for optimum combustion. This way the harmful affects of indoor pollution which claims lives of more than five lakh children and women in India is prevented. Dr. Karve has also been involved in designing a special cement kiln which burns wood efficiently thus not producing smoke. ARTI has sold more than 50,000 of such chulhas in the villages and in the last two years, it has trained nearly 140 articsans from villages to mass produce these smokeless kilns.

Courtesy Indian Express Pune

MEDA PUNE'S RS.5 CRORE BIO-DIESEL PARK AT TATHWADE

The Maharashtra Energy Development Agency MEDA is planning to set up a biodiesel park – the first of its kind in Asia at Tathwade Dairy. The 100 acre park will comprise a research laboratory as well as a plantation area for different species of oil producting plants like jatropa, karanja and castor. The park will be used for research, publicity and training of farmers on bio-diesel. MEDA is also working out plans to counter the energy crisis plaguing the State. Starting 2006, 240 villages are to be electrified through solar energy. Currently 600 MW wind energy is being produced through windmills and an addition 600 MW wind energy is to be added by March 2006 in Brahmangaon in Dhule district.

Courtesy Indian Express

PUNE COMPANY TO SUPPLY BIODIESEL THROUGH MOBILE VANS

Shirke Biohealtare, a private Pune company, has started supplying 5000 litres of biodiesel through mobile vans in different areas of the city. The company has entered into an agreement under contract farming arrangements, with the Bank of Maharashtra and farmers for promoting cultivation of Jatropha the seeds of which are used for producing the biodiesel. Biodesel is available at the same price as diesel but provides 14 percent more mileage than diesel. The refinery capacity of the company is being increased to 50,000 litres per day for which it needs 1 lakh hectare Jatropha cultivation. Loans are provided to farmers at competitive rates for Jatropha cultivation. The company also wants to promote the cultivation of other plants that can yield biodiesel.

Courtesy Maharashtra Herald Pune

ARTI PUNE BIOGAS ALTERNATIVE TO LPG

Biogas has see many changes with voluntary organizations and environmental groups developing indigenous units to make the technology urban in outlook and use. Pune’s Appropriate Rural Technology Initiative ARTI has developed a compact unit that is made of plastic and is as big as a refrigerator. It comes in two variants of 500 litres and 750 litres. The initial cost of the apparatus is between Rs.6000 and Rs.7000. Dr. Anand Karve, chief functionary of ARTI says that family kitchen waste of even rotten fruits, potato peels or spoilt milt, produces far more methane. A family spends Rs.10 a day on LPG and this can be brought down by bio-gas. Space may be the only major hitch when it comes to erecting a bio-gas plant for a housing society of 200 families.

Few other NGOs in Pune like Jnana Probhodini and BAIf are also working on the concept.

Courtesy Maharashtra Herald Pune