:: Deccan Chronicle ePaper ::

2 Indian schemes in green awards
New Delhi,

In total, the global projects stand to be awarded more than £350,000, to be used for scheme improvement and expansion.

The winners will be announced on June 11.

: Two pioneering sustainable energy schemes in India will join finalists from the UK, US/China, Africa and Latin America in the race for the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2009.

In total, the global projects stand to be awarded more than £350,000, to be used for scheme improvement and expansion. The winners will be announced on June 11.

The schemes in India in this year’s Ashden Awards finals are: A) Saran Renewable Energy Pvt. Ltd in Bihar, which has installed a new gasification system that generates electric power for 11 hours per day using locally-sourced biomass, providing a popular, sustainable and cheap alternative to an unreliable grid supply.

The 220 MW of electricity produced in a year is currently sold to 10 businesses which previously used diesel generators, as well as farmers, a school and a clinic.

The result is a betterquality and more reliable electricity that prevents the emission of about 200 tonnes/year CO2 from the 77,000 tonnes of diesel that would otherwise be used, and helps to secure income for the 100 local farmers.

B) Groupe Energies Renouvelable Environment et Solidaritis (GERES), working in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, is improving the nutrition of villagers and boosting their income, working with local organisations to help them grow fresh vegetables yearround in simple passive solar greenhouses.