GUWAHATI, July 12 ? Power requirements in the remote and inaccessible areas of the State can be met to a great extent by tapping the non-conventional energy sources. The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council (ASTEC) has successfully implemented several solar power projects at different remote areas where electricity was a thing unheard of till recently. One such project of the ASTEC is in Cachar district which covers 850 households in 36 remote villages. This project of village electrification through solar energy was started in April 2000 and the final batch is under installation. Electrification by solar energy is eco-friendly, low-costing and easy to operate. The installation cost for a household is Rs 13,000 of which the Government bears Rs 10,000. The remaining Rs 3,000 is borne by the beneficiary. Again, the amount to be paid by the beneficiary per month is Rs 70.
Another solar electrification project being run by the ASTEC is at Impoi near the Mahur-Laisong road in North Cachar Hill District. It covers 365 households under 11 villages. One more project successfully implemented by the ASTEC is at Dimoria block of Kamrup district. It provides electricity to 368 villagers of nine very remote backward villages. The project is being operated and maintained by a rural energy society formed by the beneficiaries. A village, in order to be eligible to be covered by the ASTEC?s solar electrification project, has to fulfil certain conditions. Dr AK Baruwa, the Director of ASTEC, said : ?First, the village has to be remote and it should not be covered by conventional grids. It should not come under any ASEB project. Then, the people must be willing to pay the one-time payment of Rs 3,000 as installation charge and thereafter Rs 70 as cost per month. Thirdly, the village should apply for solar electrification through proper channels ? that is through the Deputy Commissioner or the Additional Deputy Commissioner of the district concerned.?
Sri Baruwa said that there was a lot of scope for harnessing the non-conventional energy sources like solar energy, wind, etc. in the State. However, there is an apparent lack of awareness among the people in this regard. ?Effective utilisation of these sources of alternative, non-conventional energy is especially relevant in a State like Assam and the North-east which abound in hilly, remote and difficult terrains,? he said. Another project on the offing for the ASTEC is the energy park to be set up at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in the city at a cost of Rs 91.5 lakh. Significantly, all the power requirements of the park will be met through solar energy. The park will have a centralised power plant which will meet all the power requirements of the park. The park will have various amusement facilities besides a solar-powered train.
The ASTEC has also taken up two micro hydel power projects ? one of 10 KW capacity at Nazirakhat near Sonapur and the other at Rani Tea Estate with an installed capacity of 100 KW. There is ample scope of electricity generation not only from solar energy, but also from wind power, hill streams and bio-mass resources to meet the energy needs of the isolated locations. Solar energy can also be used for cooking, heating and drying purposes. ?The ASTEC, besides implementing a number of renewable energy projects, has also taken up research and development, training and information dissemination activities in different areas of renewable energy,? Sri Baruwa said.