Feature story - October 31, 2013
Greenpeace India lays down its first foundation stone for clean energy revolution in Bihar. The foundation stone was laid by the district magistrate (DM) of Jahanabad, Mr. Md. Sohail in the presence of village authorities and heads of neighboring villages. The district magistrate was extremely positive about the project and assured of every form of support from his office for a smoother operation.
31 October 2013
Photo © Ravi Sahni
In his address to the villagers at the ceremony he called upon the villagers and others present to provide all kinds of support to Greenpeace and its team towards building this microgrid.
The ceremony is a good example to show that dirty fossil fuel cannot be an option any more to meet our energy needs.
The microgrid, targeted to become operational by early next year, is being installed to showcase that the real solution for rural electrification lies in decentralized renewable energy.
DM of Jehanabad MD Sohail, said, "This is the kind of business model & infrastructure where future of energy investment lies which will not only facilitate people's access to modern energy resources but also in building infrastructure owned and controlled by people".
31 October 2013
Photo © Manish Sinha
BREDA (Bihar Renewable Energy and Development Agency) director Dayanidhan Pandey said, "This decentralized energy delivery system is not just about a couple of lights and a fan for a few hours. It will be a game changer for rural electrification in Bihar catering to the energy ambitions of the people and galvanizing the rural economy".
Dharnai has been selected keeping in mind the socio economic profile, demography and accessibility of the village. The village was electrified previously, but has lost its electricity infrastructure and is currently dependent on unreliable and costly diesel generators.
"Though the village is predominantly an agricultural village, there are commercial establishments, shops, a bank and a few government buildings that run on diesel generators or batteries. The microgrid will also cater to their energy requirements," said Ramapati Kumar, Head of the Renewable Energy Campaign.
"This dynamic microgrid will benefit all sections of the society, removing inequity in energy access and putting Dharnai on the path to inclusive and far reaching growth. It will also empower people by allowing them a stake in their energy generation and distribution."