tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55142022011-11-27T17:14:46.524-08:00microPower - empowering villagesTo advocate and inform on low-power and low-cost power sourcesUdithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.comBlogger191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-45108600760301101582011-09-27T01:51:00.000-07:002011-09-27T02:37:08.138-07:00True use of solar lightSee THE LIGHT OF LIFE at [http://www.facebook.com/l/fAQCSLWiwAQBUYyGeHhmyOl93dq3hXPEcd7889Q6NfBO99A/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziT3XYE2xSA&sns=fb] Here is a brilliant use of solar energy as a light source, without using any conversion to heat or electricity. Many hut and shanty structures have roofs and walls hat do not permit any natural illumination. Here, a light gathering water-lens was Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-89698197769844294052010-09-27T01:51:00.000-07:002010-09-27T01:53:46.505-07:00Vexatious cost of photovoltaic power and how we beat itVexatious cost of photovoltaic power and how we beat itUdithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-32185360056684422932010-09-26T05:15:00.000-07:002010-09-26T05:15:50.418-07:00microPower - empowering villages: micropower - empowering villagesmicroPower - empowering villages: micropower - empowering villagesUdithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-50206577647846230262010-09-15T06:20:00.000-07:002010-09-15T06:41:21.503-07:00Getting it right with photovoltaicsFew people and organisations appreciate the the best way forward in a power-deprived region is to give people the power to charge batteries via low-cost-low-power SPV panels - and next - to help make simple battery-powered flashlights and such battery-powered equipment locally. Invariably, political expediency and other factors put pressure on building large centralised power systems in these Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-60774748263544921172009-12-18T01:36:00.000-08:002009-12-18T03:01:31.795-08:00Alternatives to solid-state invertors or UPS?There is yet another unique solution that is still popular for critical installations like life support, airport signalling, etc., beyond about 50 KVA in load and for industrial loads of all values. It combines the benefits of all invertor-based solid-state battery-backed UPS systems. Called Rotary UPS, No-Break generator, short-break generator or MG Set, depending on the exact Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-28473615986474497692009-08-27T01:58:00.000-07:002009-12-10T01:03:27.579-08:00Business in Solar Cells and Panels - opportunity or risk?A lot of good and bad work by the various governments and industry make RE or renewable energy in India a promising yet risky venture. Otherwise, with about the highest bases of RE installations as well as globally leading manufacturers like Tata BP and Suzlon in India, we would have seen every other home powered, heated and fed via solar devices, every garden generating power from bio-gas and Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-56031490656638892072009-08-12T06:20:00.000-07:002009-08-12T07:15:04.362-07:00Solar Lantern Programmes - A brief watchlist.Too many people and bodies, unfortunately including media like NDTV Green Campaign, seem to carry an impression that a chargeable torch or battery-powered lamp is a solar lamp by itself and that, donating one to a village family means immortality to all concerned. To top it, some of them have displayed ignorance of the difference between a solar thermal and SPV or photovoltaic panel. Nothing is Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-70452636140164059182009-08-10T03:47:00.000-07:002009-08-12T07:51:50.309-07:00CHEAT SHEET ON SMART LIGHTINGWe now have plenty of light sources to choose from as the days of the ubiquitous bulb and Yard-long tube for all seasons are gone. Here is a quick guide on picking the best one for your needs. First, we should make it a point to insist on knowing the Lumens of illuminating power produced by any light source - bulb, tube, etc; and compare it with the Watts consumed by it.Typically, a filament bulbUdithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1127817348858517492005-09-27T03:35:00.000-07:002005-09-27T06:09:00.156-07:00Biofuels - for the hearth, not the car for nowIt is good to see that Mr Vinod Khosla, VC No1 (and former Sun Micro Chief?) is 'fired up' by bio-fuels, going by this article of 26th in the ET (Economic Times - www.economictimes.indiatimes.com) and his guest-edited ET edition of Monday, 29th August '05. I have also noted his optimism for storming the Rajasthan Desert and other arid wastelands with Jatropha.I am sure that with his grip on Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1108581898270231732005-02-16T11:10:00.000-08:002008-04-15T03:31:38.872-07:00Rugged LED Tower-lampsAt last these are in production!The lamps are extremely rugged, with polycarbonate 'tower shield' and thick rubber base - ideal for camps, small cabins, tents, etc. in remote placesThe power consumption for eCandle (the white, non-flashing ones) is light enough to retain brightness for about 20 hours with a set of 4 dry cells, while eFlasher (red light flasher) runs close to 48 hours on 2 dry Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1086172592585274442004-06-02T03:33:00.000-07:002008-04-15T03:34:36.847-07:00STATES ASKED TO FUND THEIR OWN POWER SUBSIDIESIn perhaps the first decision taken by our new power minister, Mr PM Sayeed, he deserves congratulations. Let us hope that there is no pressure to roll back this tough stand, asking States to provide subsidised power to farmers from their funds. One hopes that this will see the end of the "drug regime" where cash subsidies, like wonder drugs are injected ostensibly into the food sector by Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1086171786015395402004-06-02T03:19:00.000-07:002004-06-02T03:29:40.153-07:00Renewables 2004Please refer my earlier posted base document "Fusion of Positive Energies" drawing attention to the people's solidarity initiatives in renewable energy and India's critical role in it. Unfortunately, it seems that the Indian RE administrator and govt-controlled establishment of Nodal Agencies, etc are far too inward-looking and a perspective change is very essential.
The programme of Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1086171407526293252004-06-02T03:14:00.000-07:002008-04-15T03:36:02.119-07:00SPV In IndiaWe in India have a 30 year old solar energy programme, which very muchincludes SPV or solar photovoltaics. See www.mnes.nic.in,www.greenpeaceindia.org and www.winrockindia.org for more information. About 55-60 MW of power is generated from SPV instalations all over India.Critical lighting and communications are major applications, even though yousee these being used for applications like rail Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1086171104038202092004-06-02T03:11:00.000-07:002004-06-02T03:14:00.923-07:00And Now - A Sun-size Scam![Please click on the link http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/articleshow?msid=640963
"Punjab to get BHEL's solar powered pumps" about 700 SPV pumps to be supplied by Punjab Energy Devp Agency at a cost of Rs 19 Crore.]
This is indeed a scandalous profligacy and perhaps so timed to evade attention, given the election time issues. To spend such resources on freebies within the country's Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1084630464559093732004-05-15T07:07:00.000-07:002004-05-15T07:16:54.276-07:00Fusion of Positive Energies – observations and reflectionsTaking a snapshot in perspective of the RE (renewable energy) movement from Kyoto to Johannesburg to Brasilia, the Choose Positive Energy (www.choosepositiveenergy.com) discussion on 19th January, at the World Social Forum 2004 in Mumbai, India highlighted the role of peoples’ initiatives including pressure groups influencing policy-making, planning and incorporation of RE (renewable energy) Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1078321890435444532004-03-03T05:51:00.000-08:002009-08-10T04:21:32.576-07:00microPower - now a global campaign!Following a global spread of responses to this blog and the superb discussions with delegates from Greenpeace etc at WSF 2004, The microPower Initiative must now join the global quest for inexpensive solar solutions and execute small but doable steps towards meeting this scenario:
Our world faces a grim energy scenario with increasing deforestation, fossil and fissile fuel reserves facing Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1069651328006098422003-11-23T21:22:00.000-08:002009-08-10T04:21:32.582-07:00Vexatious cost of photovoltaic power and how we beat it
Vexatious cost of photovoltaic power and how we beat it
Cost of all PV products is one sore point we must tackle. It affects the economics of all solar power applications, esp. in in India. Here is why:
The global prices of crystalline silicon solar cells are centred about USD 2 per Wp or Peak Watt, the average power generated
during those sunshine hours as can be tapped (called peak Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1056633816091294262003-06-26T06:23:00.000-07:002009-11-09T04:09:39.110-08:00micropower - empowering villagesFor the lower middle-class, caught between an erratic-if-accessible mains supply and expensive dry cells, microPower provides a reliable solar battery charger. Unlike the slew of PV systems vendors in India selling at 5-digit prices, microPower solutions begin with Rs 60 (USD 1=50) to charge one AA size battery. More products are planned, e.g LED lamps, path-way markers, distress flashers, Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5514202.post-1056632255176948962003-06-26T05:57:00.000-07:002008-04-15T03:28:50.918-07:00INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ICT PROJECTS IN 3RD WORLD COUNTRIESInfrastructure is a major issue any ICT enabling effort - be it theSimputer, Village Internet, WiFi... but greatly underestimated.Whereas about every hamlet in your command area may even have an educated,computer-aware if not entirely PC-literate person as your potential user, the supporting utilities such as transmitting-receiving networks, land-lines and, basic to all these - reliable mains Udithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13836731423524439598noreply@blogger.com0