Solar Electrification Programme- The Experience in Morni hills
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India launched a scheme for the electrification of remote villages with renewable technologies for which the Central Government would provide 90% financial assistance the balance cost being borne by the concerned nodal agency/ village panchayat. Villages/hamlets that were not to be electrified with the conventional grid by 2012 were eligible for assistance under this scheme.
Morni hills have a number of dhanis (hamlets) in remote areas that can be accessed only by narrow hill paths running through difficult terrain. It is not economically feasible to cover these dhanis through a conventional grid as such dhanis typically comprise a handful of houses that are scattered over a large hilly area. These dhanis were chosen for electrification under this scheme by the Department of Renewable Energy, Government of Haryana (HAREDA). Electrification was done by employing the ‘Solar Photo-Voltaic’ (SPV) Technology. The programme was implemented for a total cost of Rs. 4.54 Crores in 3 phases from July 2006 to August 2009. Electricity was provided to nearly 4000 persons living in 776 households spread over 286 remote dhanis. Three type of systems based on the SPV Technology were installed under the programme:
- 5 Kilowatt Solar Power Plants. SPV panels were installed at a sunny location and the electricity generated was used to charge a battery bank that then provided electricity to the households for limited hours during late evening/ night hours. The batteries were installed inside small rooms and the individual houses were connected to this ‘powerhouse’ through a network of electric cables. 7 such plants were installed under Phase I of the programme at a cost of Rs. 25 lacs per plant. The power plants were covered under an annual maintenance contract for 5 years, during which period they performed well. The plants have, however, fallen into a state of disrepair after the expiry of the AMC with the batteries requiring replacement.
Solar power plant, Kohlan, Thandog panchayat, Morni hills
- Solar-powered Home Lighting Systems (HLS). A 37 Watt SPV panel is provided to the household that generates electricity to charge a 12 Volt 40 AH battery that provides electricity for running two CFL Lights and a DC fan for 2-3 hours.
- Solar-powered Street Lighting Systems (SLS).
Solar Lighting Systems
|
BHOJ |
PHASE I- JULY 2006 |
PHASE II-NOV 2007 |
PHASE III- AUG 2009 |
|||
|
HAMLETS COVERED UNDER ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMME |
||||||
|
TIPRA |
SOOG, TIPRA BALI RAM, SARARI |
KHEEL (SUG), BASYARI, JORI, BATERA, JAGYANA, BAGA, BET, BHAUN, GHAT ( DHAMAN), KATTALI, PALENEE, THAR-I, II; DHAKORI, BANCHI RUG, BHAGHAN |
KHATA KHIL, DHAMAN KHIL, BRADAL(REWARI) |
|||
|
KUDANA |
DUNDAL-UPLI, BAGWALI, LEDH-BIHLA, LOHARON, BHAYAL-UPLI |
TIBBE PUR, THANDOLI, BAG, BHAYAL NICHALI, CHANDUWALA, LAIYAN, DHARLI, KHEEL-I, DURAN, JAMANWALA, DAHAN UPLI, DAHAN NICHALI, JHUNDA WALA, BAGRAIRA, GADLA, MAGRA, THAPLI, SARANGA, KHEEL-IV, DILUWALA, RETI, DUNDAL NICHALI, KUDANA |
GAURI (DHIN), THALAP, TAL (RETA), JAMAN WALA, KHIL DUNDAL |
|||
|
PONTA |
KHADOON, BANSWALA I, II, III; BANA I, II, III |
SHER GUJJARA BASS, KHETRA-I, II; KATLI KA BASS I, II; NARWAR KA BASS, CHITEWALI, GADDA, KALYANI, GUMLA, DABRAWALA, KUMBWALA, BANSKA-I, II; GUMBANJPUR, THAPPALPUR, LASWA-I, II, III; BHERIWALA-I, II; DHAKWALA, SIRSWALI, KHAIRI, SANGDAIL, CHIRWALA, TALWAD |
LASAVA, SATIYAWALA TAPAR, DABOR KA BASS, KARUN/BANA, BASS GUGGA MARI(KATLI KA BASS), DABRA WALA, DHARRE KA BASS (BHUTIWALA), NIMBWALA(BAINS KA BASS), SHER GUJRAN KA BASS(MURTI DEVI), MANDWALA(BASS WALA) |
|||
|
RAJPURA |
CHUHARPUR, BUDRIYO, BOLNI (TURON VI), |
RANA UPLA, SHRI NAGAR, DHAKWALA (BUDRIYON), GEETOO KA BARA, TADAWALA, |
RIYAL WALA (TURON), NAYUR WALA BASS ( SHER JVAIN) |
BALDWALA |
||
|
PARLA JIYA, GHAT WALA BASS, NALIYAN WALA, AMLE WALA BARA |
RAJPURA |
|||||
|
NAGGAL |
NICHLI MANJYON, DANIR, BUNGHA, KYAR/ KOHLAN, BANYALA KHIL, MAROULI, CHALON, SINGHWALA, BENYALA, SILLY, BAJRIWALA |
KATLI, MANJYON-UPLI, CHYOG, MALOTHI, TIBRA(CHADYANA), KYAR(DHANIR), HARAGHAT, HARD KA DAL, SAPAR-I,II |
RAJJI TIKKRI |
UPRLI KATLI, JOHAR (THANDOT), NICHLI THANDOT , DHANIR, BUNGA, THAPNA(BATOLI), PATHIYA(KHAWA), DUNGLI JOHRI |
||
|
PREM KA KHEEL, KYAR BASS KALYANA), SAHYON BASS, BARA GHAT, HAHTIA BASS, PYOG (SEHLONBASS), HARD KA DAL |
UTRON |
HATHIA BASS BANAH, BARARA BASS, BHIWAR BASS BAROTE PAR, CHARKHI WALA, CHANYANA BASS, CHOHAR BASS TAL, BARA GHAT, CHOHAR BASS (HATHIA ) |
||||
|
GULARIWALI, KATAL, GHATA, NEEMWALA, BARIWALA, SERTA, DABSU, HARTA, JAMLA, TANDA, BANEE MANDIR |
DABSU |
THOREWALA-BELA, GHARAT BELA |
||||
|
CHHANDOO, CHHANDORA, RUG, SALYON, REHDUA, CHATHIYA, JOG, AMAR KUND |
THANDOG |
BIYULA-II, KOHLAN(KAYAR)-II, MAROLI KHED, CHALON-II, SALYON RADUR |
||||
|
DHARTI |
BANGHAR, SIRMADA |
CHHAN WALA, SILLI, DAL, KHEEL, BARIWALA, DABLA, UMRI, |
BARIWALA, SIRMRA, DHAL, MOPHAL, BERHERA, DAMANI, CHAKYANA , KHANA |
|||
|
KOTHI |
DAKAR |
BAROR, LANA, BALYURI, BIJYON, TAPAR, PYOG, PAPROLA, KHAVYON, JANJYAR, AMRI, JOHAR |
DANDOLI, DANDOLI(ODAR), SOON, DANDOLI(KHEEL), KOTHI, JAMNYAR, BAROR, PATHROTI(LADYAR), DANDOLI( SIRE KA BASS), FERISAIR |
|||
|
NAITA |
JORI, SHARDA |
NAID |
BAGH, KALYANI RUG, RUG, PATOG BARMU, DABSU, KATAL TALI (MOPHAL), KHARUN, PLASI NADBEL, KATAL TALI, MAROG, SAIDA BHOUDI |
|||
|
MATAUR |
MAWAS |
BERLA UPLA, JAUN PUR, GUJRIWALA, JOHAR, JASPUR |
BAWRI WALA, GUJRI WALA, BHUHAR KATLI |
|||
|
PLASRA |
KHOPAR I, II |
KALTI(AMBOVA), INDIRAWALA(KHAIRI), BAG, KHAJUWALA(LED), PLASARA-II(UPLA), III; |
KHOPAR – PART-II |
|||
|
KOTI-DARDA |
KUDAL |
GHATI, SOYEN, KHANYARA, MANJEKA, SONTHAL, KYAR KHEEL, THAR-I. DALANA. BHALYON, THAR-II, RUNJA |
BAYEN, BHOHN, GLOR(KATHI), CHAKLA, GARDYANA |
|||
|
BALAG |
GHAT DAAL
|
|||||
|
JABYAL |
KAMBAL DERA-I. KATAL, KISANPURA, KAMBAL DERA-II, JAKHRO, DUNGI BAISAKHI |
|||||
|
COVERAGE |
HAMLETS |
45 |
149 |
92 |
||
|
HOUSEHOLDS |
305 |
320 |
151 |
|||
|
POPULATION |
1564 |
1652 |
682 |
|||
|
SYSTEMS INSTALLED |
HLS |
221 |
336 |
151 |
||
|
SLS |
110 |
208 |
99 |
|||
|
5 KW POWER PLANT |
7 |
|||||
|
COST IN RUPEES ( CRORES) |
2.5 |
1.38 |
0.66 |
|||
|
4.54 |
||||||
While the initial experiment with Solar-powered electrification has been a mixed experience in Morni, yet improvements in the quality of batteries and introduction of LED based lighting systems promises to make the technology more popular in the coming years.
Filed in: Environment
About the Author (Author Profile)
An environmental enthusiast who loves tramping through the hills in search of the picturesque.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Perhaps solar power is the only alternative for such situations but the maintenance of solar power and such issues remains a problem. Bigger solar photo-voltaic along with wind may be a better alternative but will require a local grid.
Maybe the AMC should be given to a co-operative formed of trained village youths, who get employment, and hence it is in their interest to keep seeking renewal. Since they would live in the village, if they don’t perform, they will also get pulled up.
But I am sure someone has thought of it already…