Energy is a basic necessity for all of us to lead a normal life
in this world. In the stone ages, the need for energy was limited and
the people met their energy needs directly from nature. With
advancement of civilization and invention of new machines and increase
in demand for energy, people exploited coal, oil etc. to meet the energy
needs taking advantage of inventions and new technologies developed
for harnessing them. But its consequences have become alarming in
recent years. Apart from the problem of pollution, the society has to
grapple with faster depletion and high cost of fossil fuels. The
pollution caused by emissions, triggers a chain of events that
ultimately lead to global warming, depletion of ozone layer, failure
of monsoons and disruption of agriculture etc.
Hence out of necessity, we are once again forced to look up to nature
for meeting our energy needs from sources which are replenishable and
are free from pollution.
India is endowed with abundance of natural resources such as solar,
wind, biomass etc. which can supply the energy needed even in remote
areas. These are also called as alternative or renewable sources of
energy because they are either inexhaustible or can be replenished
with human effort. They are also clean and green sources energy and
hence can mitigate the effect of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
Of the various renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar,
bioenergy, ocean and geo-thermal etc. technologies for harnessing
wind, solar, bio energy and hydel are fairly well – developed and the
technologies for the rest of
the sources are in experimental or development stage and have not
reached a stage of commercial exploitation.
It may be noted that the technologies for harnessing some of these
sources are fully
developed and can be employed on commercial basis. There is, however,
need for change in the mindset of the people, to adopt these
technologies. Though the initial cost is high, considering the long
term benefits, it is necessary to use renewable energy sources. As the
awareness on renewable energy improves, it is hoped that more
beneficiaries will come forward to use them and the initial cost will
come down whereas under conventional energy recurring cost always
keeps increasing every year.
Problems of fossil - fuels
Limited resources of fossil fuels: India
has only 0.6 % of world’s oil, 0.6 % of natural gas and 6 % of coal
reserves
Faster depletion of resources due to
increase in demand for energy.
High cost of fuel and uneconomical in the
long run.
Heavy outgo of foreign exchange:
70% of requirements of petroleum products are imported.
Environmental degradation due to Green
House Gas emissions, air pollution etc.
Advantages of renewable energy
Inexhaustible ( such as Solar, Wind ) or
can be replenished ( such as Biomass etc. )
Universal availability of resources
Feasible for decentralised power generation.
Lower cost of production and operation.
Free from pollution and mitigates GHG emissions.
Can
bring additional revenue through carbon trading.
Establishment
of TEDA
The Government of Tamil Nadu realized the importance and need for
renewable energy, and set up a separate Agency, as registered society,
called the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) as early as
1985,as per G.O.Ms.No.163, P. & D. (EC) Department, dated 29.11.1984 with the
following specific objectives:-
To promote the use of new and renewable
sources of energy (NRSE) and to implement projects therefor.
To promote energy conservation activities.
To encourage research and development on
renewable sources of energy.
The promotion of grid connected and decentralized power generation from locally
available sources will reduce the dependence on conventional power. The decentralised power systems can also make power available at remote
places in the State where grid power could not be extended and will
facilitate development of rural and remote areas.
Promotional activities undertaken by TEDA
Facilitateswind power development by
undertaking wind resource assessment, setting up demonstration wind
farms, offering financial incentives, etc.
Encourages investment through attractive
power purchase policies such as wheeling and banking facilities at concessional rate for captive use, reasonable tariff for power sold to TNEB.
Organisesawareness programmes on the use
of renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency for different sections of the public.
Promoted
cogeneration in sugar mills for the first time in India in 1992
through pilot projects in cooperative sugar mills which later on
attracted huge investments for sugar mills in private sector.
Carried out Taluk/District level
biomass assessment studies and encouraged private investment in
biomass power projects.
Encouraged decentralised power
generation for rural applications through solar lighting, solar water/
air heating , solar/ wind mill water pumping, biomass gasifiers,
biogas plants, etc.
Enabled implementation of energy recovery
from agro, industrial and municipal solid waste.
Taken up implementation of
electrification of unelectrified habitations using solar lighting and
other renewable energy sources.
Facilitating setting up of Grid
Interactive Solar Power Plants
Achievements of Tamil Nadu in harnessing renewable energy
Grid connected power:
Tamil Nadu has achieved tremendous success
in harnessing renewable energy for generation of grid quality power. It has an installed capacity of
4790 MW from renewable sources as on 31.3.2009 against country's installed
capacity of 14485 MW, which is about 33%.
As a share of grid power, renewable energy
with installed capacity of 4790 MW accounts for about 32% of TNEB's
total grid capacity of about 15,100 MW while the national average is
9% only.
Dividing the 2008-09, the total units
generated in Tamil Nadu from Renewable energy sources is 7532 million
units which is 11% of Tamil Nadu is grid consumption.
Wind power:
Tamil Nadu is No. 1 in India
with an installed capacity of 4287 MW as on 31.3.2008, which is about
44% of
the total installed capacity in India. The private investment in
wind power exceeds Rs.18200 crores. The power generation has
exceeded 40 billion units (cumulative).
Cogeneration & biomass :
Tamil Nadu is a
pioneer in introducing cogeneration in sugar mills and
continues to lead with installed capacity of 466 MW of which
exportable surplus is 266 MW, which is about 250% of installed capacity in India. The
installed capacity from biomass is 147.5 MW. (includes waste to
energy projects)
Under small hydro project implemented by
TNEB directly, Tamil Nadu has an installed capacity of 89.7 MW as on
31.3.2009.
Decentralised systems
25068 Solar domestic lighting systems
installed in Tamil Nadu with assistance from Government.
6095 Solar street lights installed in
pubic places/streets mostly in village panchayats with Government
assistance and active support and involvement of Rural Development
Department.
Solar water and air heating/drying systems
installed for a collector area of 28791 sq.m.
Biomass gasifiers with cumulative capacity
of 5444 KW are in operation.
189 nos. of community and toilet linked
biogas plants have been constructed in the State under subsidy scheme.
For
further details, please contact:
Tamil
Nadu Energy Development Agency
EVK Sampath Maaligai (V Floor)
68,
College Road, Chennai - 600 006 Phone
: +91-44-28224830,
+91-44-28236592
Fax :
+91-44-28222971
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