Kargil, December 29, (Scoop News)- Kargil will generate 33,000 Mega Watt of electricity from Solar SPV according to the master plan of KREDA (Kargil Renewable Energy Development Agency ) and is generating more than 2 Megawatt from Solar SPV.
Kargil Renewable Energy Development Agency (KREDA) a registered agency (Reg. No 5909-S-2010) under the Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir Society Registration Act 1999, works with the objectives of promoting and accelerating the pace of utilization of hydro, solar and wind energy and meeting the power requirements in Kargil-Ladakh.
The Agency was established after the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Govt of India (MNRE) sanctioned a special fund of Rs 260 Crore in the year 2010 and has been assigned various renewable energy based schemes like Micro/Mini/Small Hydel Project, Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) System and other Solar Thermal Systems etc., as part of its Ladakh Renewable Energy Initiative of Rs 500 Crore.
KREDA is working broadly under the four main units i.e. Hydro, Solar, Wind and Thermal, to achieve a remarkable growth in the contribution of renewable energy in the District.
The Main objective of the Agency is to familiarize the mass with varied aspects of Renewable Energy, To create awareness about Renewable Energy (Solar, Hydel, Wind etc.), Electrifying non-electrified villages, Minimizing the use of diesel and kerosene as much as possible, Promote commercial exploitation of know how, Promote development and commercialization of renewable sources of energy, Promote development and commercialization of agriculture (through greenhouses) and to Develop and strengthen the facilities and capabilities; evolve strategies; and undertake human resource development programmes to build a sustainable economy in whole Ladakh.
The northern part of the subcontinent, especially the Ladakh region, is blessed with an abundance of sunlight and high solar radiation. Harnessing solar energy into consumable electricity is highly effective and useful.
Achievements of KREDA in the First Phase is in the field of Solar as the Agency has installation of Solar Power Plant of 25 to 65 Kw in 22 villages of Kargil and the whole Lunganak Block of 26 villages in Zanskar Sub dvision and some in other blocks has been lighten up by Solar Home Lighting due to which these villages has got lighting from the Sun even during night.
State Minister for Science and Information Technology, Medical Education, School Education, Youth Service and Sports Feroz Ahmad Khan, while talking to media told that Photovoltaic systems convert sunlight into electricity. A small solar photovoltaic system can be a reliable and pollution free producer of electricity. Presently there are around 157 villages in Kargil-Ladakh, out of which only 97 villages are electrified (95% through DG Sets). There are mainly two power stations one small hydro (Iqbal Project) with an installed capacity of 3.75MW and one DG station with 4MW capacity that supplies electricity to the main town of Kargil-Ladakh and villages nearby. There are also two numbers of mini hydroelectric power units and some DG sets (with capacity ranging from 50-750 KVa) mostly installed in the progressive villages.
Feroz Khan told that the Agency has completed Solar power plants which are generating some 2.5 megawatt Electricity and which is helping the Distirct Administration to save 40 Lakh Rupees annually.
He told that because of the scattered nature of the villages there is a huge problem with distribution and transmission through power grid systems. The transmission lines are very long resulting in poor voltage regulation and high distribution losses and also it requires huge capital investment which is financially not feasible. Therefore KREDA is concentrating on decentralized power generation policy, which would be the best alternative for such rural and far-flung areas/villages of Kargil-Ladakh.
Kacho Ahmad Khan Project Coordinator KRDEDA told that during the period KREDA has established 22 SPV Power Plants in various villages of the district. In these villages, apart from solar energy, no other viable resource, renewable or otherwise, is available. Before the intervention of KREDA the villagers were receiving electricity from their respective DG sets.
The 10 SPV Power Plants of 40KWp capacity are installed in the villages of Tsazar, Saliskot, Shakar Amzet, Khangral, Lhalung, Barchey, Yurbaltak, Goshan, Pandrass and Gindyal. Among them Tsazar (Zanskar) was an un-electrified village. The two main objectives of the agency in installing these power plants are firstly to minimize the diesel consumption in same villages and secondly to supply these villages with an uninterrupted power supply. Two Army establishments and nearly 64 institutions which had already been listed to be electrified through solar energy by this agency. So far almost at five sites (villages) the SPV Power plants has been installed & commissioned in 2011 and the civil works at various villages and institutions at 18 sites has been completed. It is expected that all SPV Power Plants has been completed by August 2012.
He told that the average number of households in each village covered under the SPV Power Plant is around 100 (i.e. 100×10=1000 households in total approx.). Although the SPV power plants have not yet replaced the DG sets completely, they have at least freed the villages from the problem of frequent breakdown of electricity, especially during the harsh winter months.
The project was successfully conceived and implemented by KREDA with technical support from TATA BP Solar India Ltd. The executing agency completed the installation of the plant equipment in the month of October-November 2010. Meetings were held with beneficiaries at the time of project design documentation; it was headed by the councilors and Sarpanchs. The villagers are also the active participants in the project activities, be its operation, maintenance or MOU related any other formality. The power plant, after handed over by KREDA to the villagers, will be run and maintained by the Electricity Management Committee.
Renewable energy is certainly a carbon free, inexhaustible and abundant source of energy. It is derived from sources such as Sun, Wind, and Water etc. It should be noted that a variety of situations will be encountered while planning the layout of renewable energy plants (physical, social, administrative, economic etc.). But once such a plant is installed it can effectively contribute to combating climate change while at the same time providing various environmental, social and economic benefits.
Kacho Ahmad Khan further added that KREDA has a future plan of generating 33,000 Megawatt of Electrcity from Solar SPV and has submitted the Project with the Government. The agency will utilize all the barren south faced lands to install solar panel and even the road sides will be utilized under this plan and will try to make Kargil as one of the main supplier of Electricity in J&K.
But this will become true only when Kargil is connected with the Northern Grid after the Execution of the Rs 1800 Crores Transmission line Project Connecting Srinagar Kargil Leh.
Besides SPV the Agency is helping the people to use Solar Power by using Solar Water Heater, Solar Cooking Equipments, by Constructing Solar Passive House, Solar Green House and Solar Home Lighting and is providing Subsidies on these equipments.
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