Rakesh Prasad
Biomass, such as fuelwood, agricultural residues and dung cakes, is still the dominant source of fuel and contributes 90% of total cooking energy in rural India (Census 2001). Women and girl children are the key players in producing, collecting and using these fuels. However, inefficient burning of such fuels in traditional cook stoves, besides causing economic loss to the nation, is also a factor for indoor air pollution and consequent health hazards. Another major cause of concern has been the indiscriminate use of fuel wood, leading to deforestation and desertification. In this context, technological solutions, institutional arrangements, awareness creation and training schemes, for ensuring adequate and affordable clean energy systems and services, assume great significance in the rural energy policy and programmes.
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), on behalf of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), undertook a project on “Implementation programme to promote renewable energy technologies in Nanakhedi village of Madhya Pradesh India ”. The project was initiated during June 2001. The project was designed with an objective of increasing energy supply to rural households in a sustainable manner through introduction of renewable energy technologies. It’s focus was on improving energy use efficiency of cooking, pumping and lighting devices by way of introducing improved chulhas, biogas, improved kerosene lanterns- lamps, and solar lanterns. BPCL provided a subsidy on these devices. Additionally, to increase biomass, greening of village through plantations was also planned.
Nanakhedi village in Raisain district of Madhya Pradesh state has 75 households with a total population of 531. The average family size is 7.3. Out of the 75 households, 46 belonged to backward castes, 12 belonged to the Scheduled Tribes and the rest belonged to the Scheduled Caste category.
Prior to implementation, a survey was conducted to understand the fuel use pattern in the village.
Fuel use pattern: Of all, cooking was the main energy consuming activity. The majority of households used the traditional mud chulha without chimney. Villagers used fuel wood (FW), dungcakes, kerosene and LPG for cooking. Dungcakes (DC) were used extensively for cooking and other domestic purposes. Part of the fuel requirements was being met through the purchase of biomass fuels, such as wood and partly by commercial fuels (kerosene, LPG). Kerosene and electricity were used for lighting purposes. However, kerosene was the only energy source for lighting because electricity is supplied at low voltages.
The survey also determined the willingness of individual households to pay for the improved devices that were fuel efficient.
The strategy
Decentralised participatory methods were followed for planning, implementation and project monitoring. The emphasis on participatory approach stems from the following:
- energy intervention cannot be seen in isolation from the wider development priorities of the people
- rural energy issues /patterns of consumption are localised and hence the strategies to tackle these issues need to be planned at that level. Indigenous knowledge of the people is valuable in understanding rural energy system and identifying workable solutions.
Participation of the village community was sought at various levels and in various forms. To facilitate participation, building the capacity of local leadership was considered essential. The ultimate goal of participatory approach is to organise the community and build their capacities for problem solving i.e. to identify their problems, prioritise them, find, implement and manage solutions.
Implementation Process
Awareness generation was the first activity taken up before implementation. Key persons were identified to mobilise the community. Several meetings, inter-school competition on energy and environment issues were arranged to create awareness among the children, as well as the local community. Other activities included demonstration of devices and their uses, preparation of information brochure/pamphlets on renewable energy devices to spread awareness in the community. Wall paintings were made on the walls of schools and houses in select project villages. Workshops/meetings were arranged at block level to spread the awareness in all 59 villages of the block.
Implementation of designed intervention was carried out in a systematic manner. Training for biogas and improved chulha construction, repair and maintenance of solar lanterns was undertaken locally involving men, women and technicians. In the project villages, at least two persons were trained for each technology and deputed for repair and maintenance.
To enable communities to have ownership of the project, they were asked to pay some nominal amount. In consultation with the local communities possible contribution were decided. The community has contributed a minimum of 20% of the total cost for biogas and 58% of the total cost in case of solar lanterns. Local people were identified and trained to operate and maintain the facilities, so that the local community need not depend on external agents. Also, necessary institutional arrangements like formation of village committees, was made to sustain the activities. The community was also made aware of implementation technicalities so as to allow better monitoring and vigil on quality.
Institutionalisation
Village level committees were formed involving the local people to take care of the project. A village-level “energy management committee” was set up. This committee consisted of local masons who were provided on-the-job training for construction of biogas plants and cookstoves, and local technicians who were trained in the installation of solar photovoltaic systems. A special committee consisting of five members was formed for ensuring proper maintenance of the pump and for holding regular meetings to discuss any problems. These committees were involved right through the intervention and were also active in motivating the youth and spreading awareness throughout the village. In addition, individual households received training on repair and maintenance of the improved kerosene and solar lanterns and improved cookstoves.
Benefits
The project helped in improving the energy conservation of about more than 75 households in Nanakhedi village. It is estimated that every year almost 32 tons of fuelwood and about 10000 lits of kerosene will be saved by a population of 75 households. In other words, it may be concluded that fuelwood saving may help to grow and raise the productivity of the available trees. Maintenance of growth of such available trees will eventually reduce soil erosion, increase infiltration, improved soil nutrient cycle and help mitigate global climate problems.
Potable drinking water is also available in the village through the installation of solar pump. Installation of 13 biogas plants provide good quality of manure and sufficient cooking gas for daily cooking for 6 to 8 family members.
Reduction of indoor pollution: The improved fuel efficient devices like biogas, improved chulha, solar lanterns, improved kerosene lanterns are reducing the indoor pollution levels to a minimum. Since in the study households the women spend most of the time in the kitchen, the interventions have helped in reducing smoke related ailments among women and children. In Nanakhedi, traditional chulhas are one of the major sources of combustion related pollutants like carbon monoxide (CO) and total suspended particulates (TSP) etc. Analysis of indoor air samples revealed that the average CO concentration and TSP level of each traditional chulha is quite high than the improved chulha.
Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions: The project has helped in reducing the carbon dioxide emission through installation of fuel-efficient devices. The reduction in emissions of CO2 are achieved through fuelwood saving, kerosene and diesel replacement, as a result of dissemination of RETs.
Reduction in drudgery: It also helped in reducing the drudgery of women and children through using improved cooking and lighting devices i.e. biogas, improved chulha and solar lantern. As of now they do not have to collect fuel wood from long distances.
The community based process for implementation of clean energy intervention has also lead to enormous environmental benefits. The saving in fuelwood would further reduce the burden on forests and mitigate the pressure on deforestation.
Conclusion
A valuable lesson learnt is that promoting improved fuels and devices in rural areas can be facilitated by meaningful participation of the community with clearly defined roles for all the stakeholders. Importantly, a participatory approach ensures that the energy transitions are also in line with the developmental needs of the community and, therefore, aid in meeting them.
References
- Census of India2001
- Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources. For latest statistics on their rural energy programs and technology dissemination, see their website mnes.nic.in
- TERI project report “Implementation of energy efficient technologies in selected villages of Madhya Pradesh” (report no. 2001RE61).
Rakesh Prasad, Field Manager/ Principal Investigator, TERI, Darbari Seth Block, Habitat Place, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003, Phone 91-11- 24682100/ 24682111, e-mail: rakeshp@teri.res.in
