N Janaiah, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, TSREDCO speaks to Kaniza Garari on Telangana’s plans in renewable energy
Q. Energy efficiency improvements for designated consumers. How has Telanagana fared?
Government of India has identified 2,076 designated consumers for reducing carbon emissions and also saving energy. Under this scheme 69 DC’s participated in the venture and there is 0.24 million tonnes of oil equivalent saved in the first two cycles.
Q. There is a major thrust on electric vehicles? What are the initiatives towards this end?
The focus of government is to have 5,00,000 two wheelers and 1,000 cars of government employees in electric mode by end of 2022. The policy is to provide them EMI facility which will help them to switch easily. Apart from this,under Government of India scheme discounts are being offered.
There is also retrofit facility available for replacement of petrol mode for people. We are encouraging people to switch their present vehicles to electric mode.
Telangana presently has 8000 two wheelers and 400 four wheelers on the road.
The state has also tied up with Indian Oil Corporation Limited to have charging points at their petrol pumps which will be easy for long distance travellers.
Q. What measures are taken to spread awareness?
To create awareness there are Go Electric Campaigns carried out by state government and private players. There have been shows organized by equipment manufacturers to make it a seamless process for the end user.
The policies are clearly defined for private players to participate and we are looking forward towards conversion to electric vehicles. There are 138 charging stations planned of which 118 are in Hyderabad, 10 in Karimnagar and 10 in Warangal.
Q. Among the many which resource has the impact been noted in the state?
We have seen growth in solar energy as the concept of decentralized power generation model helped create a system of saving on transmission losses. This novel system was first implemented in the state and later it was taken up by Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The generation of power from solar energy helped to create power in 5-kilometre radius andin 2021 we generated 3900 megawatts of power through this mode.
Energy Efficient Streetlighting Programme in 12753 villages has been carried out. Conservation is a buzzword in the state.
Q. Tell us about providing electricity to farmers.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyaan scheme is for the farmers and through this solarisation of agriculture feeders will be achieved. In this scheme, each water pump set will be renewable energy enabled and the component is to bear 500 amps of load. The solar plant of 500 kilowatts to 2 megawatts is our target. This unique system is being adopted only by the state of Telangana.
Q. Waste to energy is another sector. Your comments
The present project at Jawahar Nagar Dump Yard is a success. We are looking at setting up four such plants in four corners of Hyderabad. This will bring down the cost of transporting waste from one part of the city to another. Four corners will utilize the waste generated within their level and utilized for power generation.
Q. What is the policy for conservation of energy in buildings?
Telangana is the first state to implement the Energy Conservation Building Code in commercial buildings. The development permissions are given by the urban local bodies based on compliance of ECBC code. Conservation activities in the state are from the village and school level. There is a major focus on energy clubs where awareness on conservation of energy is the crux.
The term smart appliances and energy efficient bulbs, lamps are now a buzz word in households in city and villages. Energy Efficient Streetlighting Programme in 12753 villages has been carried out. Conservation is a buzzword in the state as the 5th edition of Telangana State Energy Conservation Awards programme shows competitors targeting number one position in the state.
Q. How have people adapted towards renewable energy in the state?
People have shifted towards renewable energy based on their need, passion and understanding of the impact of climate change. Need based change was noted when there were high power bills and it was felt to add renewable energy like solar to bring down the cost. This has been one driver for change. Passion based change has been observed in people who switched based on need and also to contribute on the use of alternative resources. There are many others who are understanding the impact of climate change and want to use alternative clean energy.