Renewable Energy Sources are of course not a new discovery. It is a
“second look” at the age-old technologies of the sun, wind, wave and
water, wood and wastes, animal and human power – energy, which served
mankind in the pre-fossil fuel era. They are sources, which are
ecologically safe and almost infinite, or would replenish themselves
in our lifetime.
The energy problem in our country can be described in simple terms as
a dilemma between the need to make available increased quantities of
energy for development and the need to reduce the expenditure on
import of oil, expenditure on infrastructure for coal and electricity
and the impending need to put a brake on deforestation. The problem is
further compounded by the variety of needs and the multifarious energy
requirements of rural and urban levels. Since renewable energy
technologies make use of resources available locally, they are better
adaptable to small scale production, can be designed for decentralised
usage patterns, have minimal fuel costs and can be assembled with
local labour, and hence they are ideally suited to Indian conditions
and rural needs.
The decentralised renewable energy concept has been recognised as a
major answer to energy needs both in the household as well as
agro-industrial sector, particularly in rural areas. In view of the
continued demand pressure on conventional sources of energy and its
limitations to serve growing energy needs it is now generally accepted
that renewable Energy Sources have to play a major role. They not only
provide energy at local levels, but they also have a direct relevance
to afforestation, drought control improvement in the environment,
energy conservation, employment generation, upgrading of health and
hygiene, social and women’s welfare, water for drinking and
agriculture and bio-fertilizer production. And significantly, they
inculcate in the people a scientific spirit, self-reliance and a
greater participation in improving the quality of their lives. |
