The evergreen problem of India - Power. Here, I mean Electricity.
India currently has an installed capacity of 1,27,000 MW and already we are facing electricity shortages and blackouts. There is an estimate of 11 to 18 percent shortage in the near future. While China adds appox. 70,000 MW every year, India has added hardly 22,000 MW in the last 5 yrs. Let us not get into the reasons, mainly being political.
A recent article on Deccan Herald talked of using small measures to save electricity from being spent. This spoke of saving electricity rather than generating new power. The concept called 'negawatts' uses the theory of efficient management of energy. From switching to sunlight during the day to turning off TVs when on standby, such was the concept.
Of course, I believe in small droplets making an ocean, but looking at the current level of growth both in the economy, with more and more industries being setup, and the never ending population spurt, the ocean needs a downpour and not drops. Electricity needs to be produced.
But how? Thermal Power?
A recent debate on the Nagarjuna thermal plant near Udupi shows that the ash from the burnt coal pollutes the aquatic life in the sea (being the waste disposed into the sea) or the ground water of the surrounding areas get polluted. If they get released into the air, the Amazon of India, the Western Ghats would be affected. Not to forget, the western ghats have the rarest species of flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the country.
Are we ready to compromise mother nature in the name of development? Or due we take a cue from Nature herself, just like a small place like Malavalli Biomass Power plant has done?
Yes, I believe that nature has answers to all our questions. Malavalli Biomass plant is located in rural Karnataka in Mandya district. This plant locally accumulates crop residues which are otherwise burnt by the farmers which obviously add to environment pollution. Malavalli itself is reported to have a capacity to generate 5000 MW of power. Come to think of it, India produces approximately 100 million tonnes of crop and mill residues which can be used by biomass plants!!
So if we can think out of the box, with a little bit of will and partnership from both from the government and private entities we can end up in a much brighter scenario faster than expected. What can we being laymen do? We can help by efficient usage and management of power and there will hardly be a necessity to cry for power again.
For more details you can check the following references:
- Beware ghosts that gobble up power at homes - Deccan Herald - Jun 25, 2007
- Blacked out - India Today - Issue Jun 25, 2007
- http://www.tve.org/ho/doc.cfm?aid=1676&lang=English
