A GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVE WITH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MICRO/MINI HYDRO POWER PROJECTS

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1 A GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVE WITH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MICRO/MINI HYDRO POWER PROJECTS Arun Kumar Tyagi (Chief Project Officer, UREDA, Uttarakhand) & Abhishek Pandey (Senior Project Engineer, UREDA, Uttarakhand) The energy-development relationship has numerous social and political implications in Uttarakhand, where about 63.10% of the population lives in rural areas and most of them belong below the poverty line. As Uttarakhand state has typical geographical conditions, so it is not possible to extend the National grid to every part of the state. Electrification of such villages that are situated in dense forest and remote areas of the state is an uphill task in real means. It is impacting - one part of state has brightened where as people in the other part of the state are still forced to live in dark nights. Development works are also in minimal position in such areas due to nonavailability of electricity. Scarcity of employment is also a major problem in such areas. By affecting from these conditions peoples are switching towards the cities where population has already crossed its limit in comparison to the availability of land, resources etc. and these rural villages becoming non-habitat. Geographical conditions of the state differ at a short distance. Most of the area is hilly and forest coverage is about 66%. Villages are in scattered manner and household coverage in a village is short. In this situation, either it is not possible to laid grid lines due to forest laws or due to high cost of coverage. Operation and maintenance is also an issue in this pattern. As a solution of this problem - Decentralized Distributed Generation (DDG) Micro Hydro Projects are suitable and best way to provide electricity facility to the forest fringe and scattered villages. Operation and maintenance of Standalone MHPs can be done in easy manner by local community after a formal training. Uttarakhand has thousands of rivers, streams and springs that could be used to generate electricity to meet the energy requirements for off-grid rural residents, cottage owners, small communities, camp sites and remote lodges. The choice of energy source depends on several factors, including availability, economics and energy and power requirements. Microhydropower systems offer a stable, inflation-proof, economical and renewable source of electricity that uses proven and available technologies. These technologies can produce as little as 100 Watt of electricity at low cost and at very competitive rates, and appropriately designed and implemented systems can provide inexpensive energy for many years. Without hydropower and other renewable energy sources, fossil fuel alone would have to meet our electricity needs. There is also the effect of their long-term environmental impact. Small and micro-hydropower installations have, historically, been cheap to run but expensive to build. This is now changing, with smaller, lighter and more efficient higher-speed turbine equipment, the lower cost of electronic speed- and load-control systems, and inexpensive plastic penstock pipes. 317

2 ICHPSD-2015 There can be several reasons for wanting to build a DDG micro-hydropower system. We may simply wish to generate electricity to fulfill our basic needs for lighting, electronic devices, computers, small appliances, tools, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, hot water, space heating or cooking. Over the long term, it may be more economical for you to invest in our own system rather than pay our local electricity utility for the energy we need, especially if we face a significant connection charge. Other reasons may be that we are interested in helping to protect the environment by avoiding the use of fossil fuels or that we wish to be independent of the power grid. It has been demonstrated that water power can produce many times more power and energy than several other sources for the same capital investment. A micro-hydropower system is a non-depleting and non-polluting energy source that has provided reliable power in the past and is one of the most promising renewable energy sources for the future. TURN-KEY PROJECTS OPERATED BY URJA SAMITI The table 1.2 shows the numbers of installed micro hydro projects for remote village electrification and which are being operated by Village Energy Committees (Urja Samiti). Table 1.2: Micro Hydro Projects installed for Remote Village Electrification and being operated by Urja Samities (Energy Committee) S. District No. of Capacity Nature No. Scheme 1. Uttarakashi kw Village Electrification 2. Bageshwar kw Village Electrification 3. Chamoli kw Village Electrification 4. Nainital kw Village Electrification & Grid Feeding 5. Tehri Garhwal kw Village Electrification Total kw Earlier the electricity tariff for these micro hydro projects was fixed on monthly basis by the concerned energy committee. Now metering of all the connections is being done and charges are being collected accordingly. One more thing that is new initiative of these energy committees is use of CFLs in place of normal bulb. Energy committees are operating, maintaining SHPs and day to day and minor maintenance expenses and honorarium of operators and electricians is being borne by the electricity charges. IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION BY URJA SAMITIES From onward construction of micro hydro projects started with the active participation of energy committees. In such types of projects energy committees are involved in planning and construction of micro hydro projects. The first project, based on community participation, namely "Niti Small Hydro Project" of capacity 25 kw was planned, constructed and commissioned by the "Niti Small Hydro Energy 318

3 Committee" with the technical support from AHEC, IIT, Roorkee as well as technical and financial support from UREDA. This project was commissioned in the year The table 1.3 shows the numbers of under construction micro hydro projects for remote village electrification with community participation: Table 1.3: Under construction micro hydro projects for remote village electrification with community participation S. No. District Scheme Developed Projects Under Construction Nature Nos. Nos. Capacity (kw) 1. Uttarakashi Village Electrification 2. Bageshwar Village Electrification 3. Chamoli Village Electrification 4. Tehri Village Electrification 5. Pithoragarh Village Electrification Total COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION In case of micro hydel schemes, especially for electrification of remote villages, stand alone projects have been allocated to UREDA (Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency). Earlier during the time of erstwhile state of Uttar Pradesh NEDA (Non- Conventional Energy Development Agency) have been given this mandate of implementing such stand alone schemes. Before the creation of the new state such schemes were constructed by NEDA and then by UREDA through funds from State & Central Govt. as grants and then handed over to the local community through their society to manage them for operation and maintenance. The tariff, operating hours, collection, operation and maintenance is being taken care by that society itself. After creation of the new state UREDA has made model byelaws and made these societies to register themselves under Societies Registration Act, thereby making them legal entities. UREDA played a role by helping these societies and the office bearers through their capacity building. Now a new role has been assigned to such societies. New schemes under this category are now being planned and executed by taking active participation of the community by involving these registered societies through 10% funding from the community and implement the schemes through such societies. Overall capital cost sharing is 10%, which is being borne by the energy committees either in cash or kind. In the form of kind sharing, villagers from beneficiary villages transport the machinery, equipments, penstock pipe from road head to project site by head load, arrangement and storage of local material such as stone, sand etc. 319

4 ICHPSD-2015 For transparency in this process, the total project cost, community share, time of completion etc. is being informed to all beneficiaries through wall writing and auditing of the financial accounts of concerned energy committees is being done. Some of such schemes which are already under operation has been synchronized with the grid to enhance the PLF of such plants by feeding the electricity generated into the grid (even at 11 KV) when local demand is not there. Even import-export meters have been put for facilitating import and export of electricity. Such a mechanism is also envisaged under the Electricity Act, 2003 where in rural areas generation and distribution through such one or other way is allowed. The local communities has now learned and started to install electronic meters to each connection, using CFL to benefit more and more consumers out of limited capacity of the plant and charging per unit rate of electricity rather than per bulb rate or so. The need now is to utilize such stand alone schemes for development of local area/villages and linking such scheme to other economic activities of that area thereby raising the livelihood and standard of life of the rural people. NEW INITIATIVE: - GHARAT (WATERMILL) A watermill is a machine constructed by connecting a waterwheel to a millstone. At present there are about 15,448 traditional water mills (functional as well as non-functional) in the state of Uttarakhand. Up-gradation of these watermills would directly affect around people considering the employment opportunity of two persons per watermill. Each watermill having an average 1.5 kw of capacity working on an average 8 hours a day shall generate about 4320 kwh / year and will compensate an equivalent of 6 tones of CO2 which will get about Rs 3000 per year additional income under CDM process at present rate. Up-gradation and production of new modern technologies specially designed for the grass root conditions of the area are being taken up in a big way so that the productivity of this important section of population gets increased and they get higher returns with lesser efforts. Upgradation of such traditional watermills can be great source of employment generation. The up-graded watermills of this hilly region are an essential and important source of energy in remote areas. These watermills not only provide electricity to small areas but are also used for grinding grains. Up-graded watermill produces power up to 5 kw which is sufficient for electrification families within the diameter of 500 meters. Horizontal Micro Turbines (Open and Closed Cross Flow Turbines) and vertical shafts are being used in up-gradation of watermills. Electronic Load Controller (ELC) is also being used for load controlling in electrical output watermills. There are 6 manufacturers, who have tested their turbine in AHEC, IIT, Roorkee, are providing all equipment to the water-millers in Uttarakhand. Small Scale Industry Department, Government of India has declared Watermill (Gharat) as Small Scale Industry and state government has exempted watermill parts and products free from VAT. 320

5 NEW INITIATIVE: FIRST CDM PROJECT OF UTTARAKHAND REGISTERED BY EXECUTIVE BOARD OF UNFCCC FOR CARBON CREDIT The Project Design Document (PDD) was prepared by UREDA under Small Scale category for availing CDM benefits against the reduction in carbon emission through construction of 29 Bundled MHPs of MW capacity in the State of Uttarakhand. These projects are located in the remote districts of Uttarakhand like Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Uttarakashi and Tehri Garhwal. This project was validated by M/s DNV AS, Bangalore after getting host country approval from Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India. Under this project, emission of 8668 Ton of CO2 will reduce to release in environment against the annual generation of MU of electricity by these projects. The executive board formed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has registered the project submitted by UREDA on 3rd December, LIVELIHOOD ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES After electrification of remote rural villages, the scenario of these villages has totally changed. Where installation/up-gradation of traditional water mill into improved watermill increased the income and employment opportunity at one hand, the electricity facility provided opportunity to the rural entrepreneur for establishing and increasing their business on the other hand. After electrification of the village, villagers are getting up-to-date news, entertainment means, students are also being benefited by lighting facility during late night and early morning hours. Women are also getting income besides their daily works by working during night hours. CONCLUSION Small hydro power is a class in itself and is instrumental in the development of remote areas of the state. The future of development of small hydro projects in Uttarakhand state is bright and many power stations shall come up in future which will facilitate the development of rural areas of the state and will provide quality power to the people of area. It is the need of time that the small hydro power development should take place keeping all the parameters of safety and quality management in place, so that the problems which are hampering the operation and maintenance of existing power stations may not recur. Thus SHPs can be the harbinger of development for rural and remote area of Uttarakhand. 321