Innovative saving: Street lights that work on solar power in Odanthurai. The Panchayat in Karamadai block of Coimbatore district has gone for innovative methods to save on the cost of power. It operates a 6HP centrifugal pump for its water supply scheme using the power from the biomass gasifier plant.
The Sun has been an object of fascination since time immemorial and continues to be so.
The process of transforming naturally-received sunlight into mechanical, chemical and electrical power is known as solar energy. The radiant heat and light of the sun has been harnessed by mankind since ancient times using ever evolving technologies. Experts consider solar energy the best natural and renewable source of energy.
So how do we run a house using solar energy? Yes, a whole house with its multifarious needs. The answers to this question are already known but it always boils down to how well we act on that knowledge.
Fossil fuels are depleting fast and there is a need to develop measures that will enable us to tap solar energy on a larger scale. We have invented numerous devices, some complex and others simple, in the principle of tapping sunlight to make our lives easier. In these is the solution to our question.
The solar water heater is one such gadget that is getting popular. Cooking appliances and others that run on solar energy are indeed helpful. “To my knowledge, solar energy is not being used completely to run a house though solar water heaters are being used extensively. Some also generate electricity using sunlight,” says R. Umapathy, an architect in Bangalore. Mr. Umapathy, however, adds: “In the coming years we may see more using solar energy.”
Solar water heaters, though popular, have certain inherent problems. A solar water heater costs between Rs.10, 000 and Rs.20,000. A solar device to generate 1 KV of electricity will cost Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh. These hefty tags that come with the devices are the major deterrent for the volume growth.
This is a worldwide trend and not a phenomenon restricted to India, according to S. Srinivas, Principal Counsellor at the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre.
However, what has now caught the imagination of builders around the globe is the concept of ‘Green buildings'. Structures that can tap solar energy for various needs are designed to suit the locality. One such shining example is the CII Godrej building in Hyderabad. The building requires 500 units of electricity a day. About 25 per cent of this is met from solar energy. A 30,000 sq.ft. building in Chennai has an air-conditioning system that runs on solar energy. “Well, the secret to this building is an integrated photovoltaic cell which helps generate electricity,” says Mr. Srinivas.
On the advantages and disadvantages of using solar power, Megha Shenoy who works on a research project with Resource Optimization Initiative, a non- profit entity, says: “After the initial cost the energy from the sun is practically free. Solar energy does not require fuel. It is clean, renewable and sustainable. As it can operate independently it can be installed in the remotest places. They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells. ”.
The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of materials used. As energy shortages are becoming common, solar energy is also becoming more price-competitive.
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