Image Source
MGP (Micro Grid Power) builds and operates micro grids to provide lighting to off-grid villagers in Uttar Pradesh. MGP develops and operates the lowest cost micro-grid facilities in India. MGP’s strategy is to design and develop a service-specific micro grid dedicated to providing only household lighting and mobile phone charging. MGP’s facilities provide superior lighting through multiple light points for a lower monthly cost compared to kerosene and other household lighting options like battery-operated LED lamps.
The major problem which is faced in this area is mainly the absence of proper supply of grid electricity.
To overcome these issues some steps are taken, which are discussed as follows:
ü Village identification and engagement are done by MGP’s NGO partner, the Sarathi Development Foundation.
ü A local electrician is trained to fix up household light installation, which takes about two weeks to complete.
ü The electrician visits the village every two weeks to inspect the system, connect new customers, and disconnect non-paying customers. Solar panels are washed once a month to remove any dust accumulated on the panels.
ü Payment collections are done by the local women’s group within the village.
ü Labor requirements are specific to tariff collection, solar panel cleaning and regular inspection of facility.
The design requires 90% less solar power generation capacity per customer compared to traditional solar powered micro grids. In addition to the saving on panels and batteries, MGP has been able to install panels on existing houses within the village and batteries inside the houses. Thus, MGP’s solar power stations require very little additional infrastructure. In addition, because MGP distributes power at low-voltage direct current, inverters are not necessary, thereby saving power loss due to conversion and reducing maintenance costs. MGP’s facility design has four basic components, all of which are proven technologies and readily available through local, national, and international suppliers. These components are as listed below.
ü Renewable generation (100 households would require 300 watts-peak of solar panels, approximately four panels).
ü Battery bank (100 households would require 200 amp-hour of storage capacity).
ü Power distribution is for a predefined time at 24 volts direct current. The distribution system is designed to limit distribution distances to under 100 metres from the generation source.
ü Through the use of LED lights, power consumption per household is reduced by more than 90% compared to other solar-powered micro grids, cutting the cost of the village-level facility by more than 90% (each household is installed with two or four LED modules).
The benefits and results obtained after the implementation are given as follows:
ü Reduced cost of running rural households immediately while providing improved lighting.
ü Provided rural households with quality, clean electric lighting (reduced kerosene consumption and the time spent on obtaining kerosene), and reduced indoor air pollution.
ü Reduced household lighting expenses.
ü Improved student enrollment in schools.
ü Facilitated time such that adults can engage in income-generating activities at night and children can study late into the evening.
ü Lesser environmental pollution leading to lesser clinic visits for respiratory problems.
ü Carbon emissions can be reduced by reducing the dependency on kerosene.
Location: Uttar Pradesh
Read More