Thursday, September 05, 2013: Greenpeace, an NGO announced on Wednesday that it is going to develop a solar power micro grid electrification model in Bihar’s Dharnai village in Jehanabad district. The power grid is being developed together by Centre for Environment and Energy Development and BASIX. It will be able to generate electricity using 100 kW solar panels that would be able to supply electricity to around 350 houses in Dharnai around the clock at reasonable rates.
Greenpeace India’s executive director, Samit Aich had mentioned that this project is not just about lighting two bulbs or a fan in rural India but it involves rural electrification.
This kind of project will not only allow the people to enjoy uninterrupted electricity in rural India but at the same time it would make modern forms of energy available to India crowd. Further, this would allow the people to control and own the infrastructure for development of such form of electricity.
Dharnai had once been electrified, however, the infrastructure for it is no more available and presently diesel generators are the only source of electricity in these villages. Thus, Dharnai has been chosen for establishing this solar plant considering people’s socio economic conditions and the accessibility and demography of the village.
The solar power generation unit is likely to get operational by next year. If this attains success, then further investments in this field are also likely to come.
