Going off-grid to power solution by Sunita Narain – Very Very Stupid
by sagarmedia on September 6, 2012
Bogus Energy Experts are equally responsible for Energy Crisis in India and Sunita Narain is very very stupid in favoring Roof Top Solar Power for over 50% of Indian Population who can’t afford a 25W lamp and are provided free power in most states. Actual solar power shall cost over 30 cents to 64 cents – even more considering Profit Margins are higher and service quality poor.
[My (Sunita Narain) colleagues at the Centre for Science and Environment have proposed off-grid but interactive systems for rural electrification. In this system, like the German roof-top energy revolution, government would provide feed-in tariff incentives for entrepreneurs to set up local solar energy systems. This energy would be fed through mini grids to users—poor and rich would pay costs. It is important to remember that solar energy costs are decreasing—the latest bids for projects put the price at Rs 7 per unit. This is still more than the price of coal- or gas- based power. But while costs of coal and gas will only go up, solar can and will come down.]
The problems with Bogus Experts are many –
http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/retail-price-environment/solar-electricity-prices
Firstly they don’t understand 15cents per unit Solar Power cost is for grid connected Industrial Scale installations without battery storage. Price of 2KW residential stand alone system comes to 29 cents/kwh for Sunny Conditions and 64cents/kwh for cloudy conditions. (Solarbuzz)
Smaller units shall cost even more. For example Solar Lanterns of Tata-BP cost around $150 for 10W that stored around 0.050kwh of power each – translates to capital cost of $15,000 per KW. Solar Lanterns that cost $150 each don’t last even two years – failures of lamp or batteries render it useless. Current generation thermal plants last 40 years, Nuclear Plants 60-100 years and Hydro Projects over 200 years for much less capital cost.
Assuming 800 days use for $150 Solar Lantern or 40 units of electricity generation in lifetime translates to over $2.5 per unit not considering cost of solar panel that has much longer life span.
Secondly they always find fault with power to Agriculture – which is mostly residual and seasonal or not regular quality supply. Electricity Pumps are inefficient because they are designed for rough conditions of supply and are rewound. But don’t object to Most Inefficient Booster Pumps in cities – 0.5lps/hp compared to 3-5 lph/hp for Agriculture Pump-sets.
Thirdly they don’t object to ‘Unlimited Load Sanction to Rich Consumers’ who draw grid power to run air conditioners during summer months even as millions of poor are subjected to long power cuts even as these rich consumers, Commercial & Industrial consumers have efficient generators could manage seasonal power cuts.
Fourth they don’t object to ‘Purchase of Electricity at Rs.10 per unit for Sale to Meet Seasonal Demand of Rich, Commercial and Industrial Consumers from Grid’ and actually Consume 100% Peaking Power but recover most of the cost from Small & Medium domestic consumers who draws 20% of peaking power.
Fifth they don’t insist on shorter working hours for Shops and Malls to 11AM to 5PM to avoid Peak Hour in summer months.
Sunita Narain Avoided Real Causes of Coal and Gas Shortages
I have been writing for years of how Reliance delayed award of KG Basin project when Gas could have been available from 2004 – discovered in 2001 end.
I always suspected CAG has now Confirmed RIL was Drilling & Operating in ONGC and GSPC discoveries – Robbery of PSU gas wells. The Gas that ought to be available for less than $1 per mmbtu by PSUs cost over $6 per mmbtu by RIL including cost of transmission.
This is $100b/year Economic Loss in avoiding imports of petroleum and Gas based power units have higher thermal efficiency.
Coal shortage in India is entirely due to taking away ‘Prime Coal Blocks’ of Coal India Ltd in favor of private companies who were also allowed to import coal at 5 times Indian Thermal Coal price mined by Coal India – It was BUSINESS SENSE to import coal at high price – Private Companies imported 105 million tones of Coal last year.
Ravinder Singh
Progressindia008@yahoo.com
by sagarmedia on September 6, 2012
Bogus Energy Experts are equally responsible for Energy Crisis in India and Sunita Narain is very very stupid in favoring Roof Top Solar Power for over 50% of Indian Population who can’t afford a 25W lamp and are provided free power in most states. Actual solar power shall cost over 30 cents to 64 cents – even more considering Profit Margins are higher and service quality poor.
[My (Sunita Narain) colleagues at the Centre for Science and Environment have proposed off-grid but interactive systems for rural electrification. In this system, like the German roof-top energy revolution, government would provide feed-in tariff incentives for entrepreneurs to set up local solar energy systems. This energy would be fed through mini grids to users—poor and rich would pay costs. It is important to remember that solar energy costs are decreasing—the latest bids for projects put the price at Rs 7 per unit. This is still more than the price of coal- or gas- based power. But while costs of coal and gas will only go up, solar can and will come down.]
The problems with Bogus Experts are many –
http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/retail-price-environment/solar-electricity-prices
Firstly they don’t understand 15cents per unit Solar Power cost is for grid connected Industrial Scale installations without battery storage. Price of 2KW residential stand alone system comes to 29 cents/kwh for Sunny Conditions and 64cents/kwh for cloudy conditions. (Solarbuzz)
Smaller units shall cost even more. For example Solar Lanterns of Tata-BP cost around $150 for 10W that stored around 0.050kwh of power each – translates to capital cost of $15,000 per KW. Solar Lanterns that cost $150 each don’t last even two years – failures of lamp or batteries render it useless. Current generation thermal plants last 40 years, Nuclear Plants 60-100 years and Hydro Projects over 200 years for much less capital cost.
Assuming 800 days use for $150 Solar Lantern or 40 units of electricity generation in lifetime translates to over $2.5 per unit not considering cost of solar panel that has much longer life span.
Secondly they always find fault with power to Agriculture – which is mostly residual and seasonal or not regular quality supply. Electricity Pumps are inefficient because they are designed for rough conditions of supply and are rewound. But don’t object to Most Inefficient Booster Pumps in cities – 0.5lps/hp compared to 3-5 lph/hp for Agriculture Pump-sets.
Thirdly they don’t object to ‘Unlimited Load Sanction to Rich Consumers’ who draw grid power to run air conditioners during summer months even as millions of poor are subjected to long power cuts even as these rich consumers, Commercial & Industrial consumers have efficient generators could manage seasonal power cuts.
Fourth they don’t object to ‘Purchase of Electricity at Rs.10 per unit for Sale to Meet Seasonal Demand of Rich, Commercial and Industrial Consumers from Grid’ and actually Consume 100% Peaking Power but recover most of the cost from Small & Medium domestic consumers who draws 20% of peaking power.
Fifth they don’t insist on shorter working hours for Shops and Malls to 11AM to 5PM to avoid Peak Hour in summer months.
Sunita Narain Avoided Real Causes of Coal and Gas Shortages
I have been writing for years of how Reliance delayed award of KG Basin project when Gas could have been available from 2004 – discovered in 2001 end.
I always suspected CAG has now Confirmed RIL was Drilling & Operating in ONGC and GSPC discoveries – Robbery of PSU gas wells. The Gas that ought to be available for less than $1 per mmbtu by PSUs cost over $6 per mmbtu by RIL including cost of transmission.
This is $100b/year Economic Loss in avoiding imports of petroleum and Gas based power units have higher thermal efficiency.
Coal shortage in India is entirely due to taking away ‘Prime Coal Blocks’ of Coal India Ltd in favor of private companies who were also allowed to import coal at 5 times Indian Thermal Coal price mined by Coal India – It was BUSINESS SENSE to import coal at high price – Private Companies imported 105 million tones of Coal last year.
Ravinder Singh
Progressindia008@yahoo.com
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