ENERGY: Energy equations

FROM THE STATESMAN

Swaati Chaudhury reports on the Confederation of Indian Industry’s latest initiative at tackling climate change and exploring non-conventional sources

CLIMATE change is no longer merely an environmental issue; it has become more of an economic concern. The day is not far off when the last remnants of our coal reserves and fossil fuel will disappear. The matter is of serious concern and individuals, groups and government organisations need to step in to tackle the problem.

In an endeavour to address climate change and explore non-conventional sources of energy that would sustain the future generation, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) recently hosted a session on “Sustainable energy: Our future, our responsibility” on the eve of World Environment Day in Kolkata. The session emphasised the role of the corporate world in developing renewable energy. Today, interest in green energy has shot up tremendously all over the globe and the CII is trying to build a Climate Change Business Leaders Group to combat the menace.

Speaking at the session, Sanjay Wadvani, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata, said, “The biggest challenge is that we have access to only limited fossil fuel. Industries need to adopt renewable energy for building power plants. The state governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka are collaborating for the systematic deployment of clean energy. The success of our endeavour will depend on providing non-conventional sources of energy to business organisations.”

Nearly 97 per cent of the state power sector depends on thermal power plants that thrive on coal and we have to look for alternate sources for the future. At a time when a developing nation like India is riding high in the verticals of economic and service sectors, the need of the hour is sustainable energy. Our country will surely require more energy 25 years down the line.

According to Ram Agrawal, Chairman, CII, Eastern region, “The associated fly ash and greenhouse gas contents are of major concern. With changing times, energy efficiency is the mantra that would lead to development of sustainable energy. Efficient use of energy and its conservation is highly essential, which would, in turn, ensure low carbon emission. Conservation of energy is an objective that calls for participation of all stakeholders.”

The environment department of West Bengal has set up a draft committee in order to assess the impact of climate change across all districts in the state. The state has been categorised into two belts — the Himalayas in North Bengal and the Sundarbans in the South.

SP Gon Chowdhury, Managing Director, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Limited, said, “We need to take action to mitigate climate change or else hundreds of thousands of poor people residing in the hills and the Nepal Himalayas will not receive any benefit. No political party in Bengal has raised the renewable energy slogan in the recent municipal elections. India can make an impact only if political parties highlight the significance of renewable energy and use it as a part of their campaign agenda. Our country will require around 900,000 mega watt of power by 2031 and Bengal, growing at a rate of nine per cent, will need around 28,000 mega watt within the next 20 years. Laws need to be formulated in order to prohibit the building of coal-based power plants over a period of five years.”

Gon Chowdhury said India has a huge potential of 800,000 mega watt for renewable energy and Bengal occupies a commendable position in generating green energy. Alternate sources of energy can create job potential to the tune of a million. “The eastern Himalayas starting from the Uttar Pradesh Hills, Darjeeling Hills to Arunachal Pradesh have the potential to generate small hydropower of 5,000 mega watt. There is biomass potential in the entire region. Renewable energy is one such prospective area of growth and investment and there is immense potential for solar power industries coming up in Bengal. “In other states like Gujarat and Rajasthan industries have been set up to exploit alternate sources of energy.”

The Howrah Municipal Corporation has taken a major step to set up a sustainable energy project of 7.5 mega watt.