Understand the worth of water
The Hindu : Frequent power cuts dampen the spirit of a city in the process of rapid commercialisation. The new international airport, and other civic infrastructure projects planned, promise much for Bangalore. It will draw more entrepreneurs looking for a base in the region. It will also open up opportunities for investors looking for newer prospects in sunrise industries here.However, power supply remains a major concern. And it has been so for many years now.The demand-supply gap that has worried entrepreneurs and economists alike has been the bane of the city. The problem lies in the dependence on hydro electricity. The truant monsoons caused havoc in the past and extensive load shedding was an annual feature. Copious rains apart, the funds needed to generate power too are demanding. Due to all this, city planners are forced to look for more innovative ways to cater to the demand.Renewable energy has always been a dependable and clean source that comes at a relatively lower cost. There are various renewable energy sources.“Poultry litter is one such innovative source possible,” suggests Ramakumar Purushottam, Vice President-Renewable Energy, Enzen Global Solutions, an energy and environment consulting firm. “This relatively new concept of renewable energy has already made its debut in India.”“A two MW grid-interfacing power plant that generates power using waste from the poultry industry was commissioned in August last year in Goundampalayam village in Tamil Nadu. This was perhaps the first of its kind in the country. It is estimated that for a generation of two MW of power, the plant will need 325 tonnes of poultry waste,” apprises Ramakumar.It is difficult to estimate just how much a sizeable power project using poultry waste will cost for a city like Bangalore. It is also difficult to estimate the quantity of power that can be generated from such a plant. But surely there are many advantages of tapping sources such as poultry waste for…More
