Celebrating Orissa's choice of clean energy at the famous Sun Temple of Konarak.
What exactly does this mean?
To begin with, it means an investment opportunity to the tune of
Rs.125 crores is knocking at industry's door. It's time now for the
Renewable Energy sector to heed that call, step up to the
challenge, and ensure that the demand-supply loop is completed.
Add to this the fact that at an approximate rate of 6 jobs per
1.5 MW generated, Orissa is looking at the creation of 500 clean
jobs in the days to come.
Most important of all, in generating these 200 million units of
green power, Orissa will reduce CO2 emissions by 225 tons every
year. And reduce Rs.5.50 in external costs (we're talking health
and environment) for every power unit generated. That's Rs.1.1
billion saved on 200 million units generated.
But while the implications of this order are being lauded by the
current generation, its benefits will be reaped by generations not
yet born.
Great news for the industry, for the unemployed, for public
health, and for the planet. But it wouldn't have happened without a
little help from Greenpeace.
Recognising that a thirteen-year-old strategy proposed by the
MoEF to embrace clean energy was merely dry ink on paper,
Greenpeace swung into action.
We filed a Public Interest Petition urging the OERC to introduce
regulation that ensures 10% of the State's power is procured from
RE sources like Wind, Solar, Biomass, Tidal and Micro-Hydel.
We backed this up with scientific rigour, and followed it up
with unrelenting pressure to bring about a clean energy
revolution.
This ruling is the first result of Greenpeace's campaign towards
that future, but by no means the last one.
The Weather Is Here. Wish You Were Wonderful.
* Orissa has 480 kilometres of coast-line, and has tremendous potential for Wind, Ocean and Tidal Wave energy projects.
* In the Bio-Mass sector,
there's potential to the tune of 600MW, and six Orissa villages have
already been electrified using bio-gas.
* In terms of Solar Power,
Orissa boasts of over 312 days of sunlight on an average every year.
With increasing day temperatures and reducing winters, the number of
days of sunlight are also on the rise.
* Orissa also has a huge network of rivers and tributaries offering great potential for micro and mini hydel projects.