The proposed panchayat under the leadership of the Nominee has adopted various renewable and clean energy sources to successfully meet the energy needs of the village. Now the village panchayat is totally self reliant for its energy needs and is even producing surplus energy and selling it to the grid.Village panchayats are the local governments as per the Indian constitution. They consume energy for providing the basic amenities to the families in their villages. For that they are depending on the electricity board and supply on the power grid. The increase in the tariffs on electricity has become the burden on the local governments and huge arrears are piling on the panchayats. This is very common for the panchayats in all the parts of the country.
Village panchayats are the local governments as per the Indian constitution. They consume energy for providing the basic amenities to the families in their villages. For that they are depending on the electricity board and supply on the power grid. The increase in the tariffs on electricity has become the burden on the local governments and huge arrears are piling on the panchayats. This is very common for the panchayats in all the parts of the country.
This is the first initiative of its kind where a local government body (panchayat) has used renewable energy technology to meet the energy needs of its own public utilities such as streetlights and water pumps and also generated surplus energy to supply to the state power grid and generate revenue for the panchayat. Local government bodies across the country depend upon the state to supply electricity to them. This panchayat has created its own energy sources - 1. It is running a bio mass gasifier to generate electricity for pumping drinking water - using locally available biomass. Saving of 95 kilowatts per day through biomass gasifier2. The nominee has installed solar streetlights to provide street lighting to the tribal families and to families rehabilitated bonded labour. 5000 watts per day generated for streetlights.3. He has created 3 community bio gas plants to supply cooking gas for families in the village hamlet.4. He has also installed a 350 KWA windmill and is generating the energy. This energy is sold to the Tamil Nadu electricity board. After deducting the energy consumed by the panchayat, a substantial income accrues to the panchayat.
1. Individuals - The residents of the village get uninterrupted water supply and become self reliant with respect to water.2. Society - The village as a whole saves money and this money can be used for various development programs. Currently the panchayat is repaying the loan taken for installation of equipment.3. Economy - The non-conventional energy sources have led to saving of money earlier paid to the state electricity department.
The panchayat enjoys the support of the district level government officials. The district administration was seeking sustainable solutions to resolve the energy crisis in villages. The nominees initiative has become an example to other villages in Tamilnadu. Many other panchayats are now replicating this. This is a result of the panchayat s links with district. Companies: This initiative has created a scope for the companies to sell small biomass gasifiers. This is an excellent demonstration of how solar energy can be utilized for community applications. Government - Odanthurai has become the model initiative for local government bodies across the country. It offers a solution to the massive problem faced by the government to supply electricity to villages.
Individuals / society Individuals, particularly the poor belonging to bonded labour families are benefiting streetlights. Regular water supply has benefited households and reduced drudgery.The economy Revenue generated through clean energy systems is helping the gram panchayat carry out other development works and this has given considerable boost to panchayat development programmes. The panchayat is generating an income of Rs.17 lakhs per quarter. Average panchayat income in Tamil Nadu regular sources is around 2-3 lakhs per year. The capital required for renewable energy producing systems was created through a contribution of 40 L the panchayat itself and 78 lakhs were taken as loan banks.The environment Use of clean energy has reduced the need for use of power the state electricity department, which uses conventional technology to produce electricity. All methods adopted are not only renewable and non-polluting.
The system is highly sustainable as it uses local biomass and other renewable energy sources. The panchayat itself is a democratically elected local government body that will sustain in the long run.
The panchayat is leveraging clean energy by becoming a model panchayat and demonstrating the use of clean energy for panchayats across the country. The potential for leverage is therefore immense.