Renewable Energy

To truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy.

Solar Energy: There are villages and homes in Chhattisgarh where the electricity has not reached. There are houses and schools where lack of electricity impedes other work like lifting of water for taps, and use of computers. Solar street lights, solar housing, solar pumps, and solar schools have addressed some of the critical issues of the village life. While solar street lights have provided protection against snakes. The solar housing have helped the women in many of their chores, and helped the children to study at home. Below is the story of one of the village which saw light in their lives.

Chatapaad is a small village in Kartala block of Korba district. Korba is termed as the energy town of Chhattisgarh but this tribal village had no street lights and the village was engulfed in total darkness during the nights.
People rarely ventured out of their homes at night, and children found it hard to play or study. For any cultural events, the special power arrangement needed to be done costing quite a lot. With the street lights, the children play and study in groups under street lights, women come out of their households and mingle with each other, and events and festivals are celebrated with much better bonhomie.
Solar pumps for irrigation is another happy change for the farmers. For example in Gidhauri village, the solar energy is used for street lights, and is used to lift water from the bore-wells. The women who had walk to fetch water are just turning on their taps, and the backyard garden is evergreen all round the year. A  Solar Pump Community is being formed to use the solar pump collectively for irrigation. The users are charged Rs 20 per month (creating a fund to be used for repairs and maintenance) and the Solar Pump. Community has so far put safely Rs.1680 in the bank account to be used for the repairs and maintenance. So far 590 farming families are using solar pumps for irrigation.

Biomass Stoves: Another feature of the renewable energy is the introduction of bio-mass stoves. For example women from Leemdih are happy to have biomass stoves as it has eased their workload and also this produces less smoke. Dhanuka Devi say, “thanks to these stoves, I have better time for myself”. Smokeless biomass stoves consumes less firewood, is movable, takes less time to cook food, and less smoky. At present 535 women are suing biomass stoves.

Achievements of 2017-18

Solar Home Lights
1776

Units

1776

Families

Solar Lights for Streets
456

Units

10032

Families

Solar Systems for Drinking Water
38

Units

1596

Families

Solar Water Lifting Pumps
38

Units

133

Acres

157

Farmers