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Indrani Dutta

Silicon, the main raw material of a solar cell, pushes up costs as a high degree of purity is required. Research is on to make solar cells using less silicon.

Kolkata , Oct. 26

THE 54-year old director of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA), Mr S.P. Gonchowdhury, is a dreamer. He has advised the United Nations on electrifying remote islands in the South Pacific and has recently won international recognition — the Green Oscar - for his project on energising remote islands in the Sundarbans. But perhaps his single biggest contribution is bringing into focus the potential of renewable energy.

Excerpts from a recent interview:

Sometime back, you had an audience with the President. How did the talks go?

It was less of a talk with a head of the State, becoming more of a session between two technical persons. The President showed particular interest in electrifying off-grid areas and remote villages with renewable energy. He was optimistic about the role that solar energy could play in lighting up off-grid areas. However, he was concerned about the high cost of setting up a solar power plant.

Is there anyway this could be brought down?

It has come down to a level of Rs 18 crore/MW from Rs 40 crore five years ago. But it should be at about Rs 10 crore and research is already on in this direction. President Kalam also emphasised on R&D.

Why is the initial cost high?

Silicon, the main raw material of a solar cell, pushes up costs as a high degree of purity is required. Research is on to make solar cells using less silicon. In India, this R&D is being carried out by the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science with support from the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources (MNES) and the Department of Science and Technology. The US, Germany and Japan are also working on this.

Tell us something about West Bengal's progress in harnessing renewable energy?

West Bengal's total potential is estimated at around 900 MW. The WBREDA has tapped biogas, biomass, wind energy, wind-diesel hybrid, wind-solar hybrid and solar energy.

The State's nodal agency has achieved success in powering Sundarbans - a conglomeration of nearly 50 islands in the Bay of Bengal. Many of these are in remote off-grid areas where it is not possible to carry conventional electrical power.

Application of solar photovoltaic energy in this respect has proved to be a boon for the islanders who now use solar equipment ranging from lanterns to stand-alone solar PV power plant, which is used on a revenue-earning mode.

However, our greatest success is the generation of grid quality power at Sagar Island, the single largest and most populated island in Sundarbans.

The programme for developing non-conventional energy forms has also fostered small-scale entrepreneurship. Can you elaborate?

In West Bengal, while there are 16 SMEs and a few medium and large scale companies which are finding the area lucrative enough. But most importantly it has spawned micro entrepreneurship in far-flung places creating self-employment opportunities for people, who act as dealers and service personnel for the equipment manufacturers.

Some details on the project report which got you the Ashden Award and what is being done with the award money.

The award was given for the model I developed for energising Sagar Island with grid quality solar power. There has been a big change in the lifestyle of the people with this. Commercial activities have started and schools and hospitals are being run using this power. I am using the award money for better and efficient utilisation of the solar power plant by introducing pre-paid energy meters.

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