Chasing the Sun by Prashant Tandon

CHASING THE SUN a 25 year journey

TATA POWER SOLAR

CHASING THE SUN a 25 year journey

To the people of Tata Power Solar, who dedicate themselves to one goal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; harnessing the power of the sun and helping transform communities everywhere

CHASING THE SUN

For all the help rendered towards the making of this book, we would like to thank Tsewang Tstanzin, Lundup Punchok, S Munishankar, Satyanarayan Reddy, Damodar Chokkla, Sanjay Jana, Sanjeev Soni, Shah Masood Jafar, Subhro Sen, Prashant Sharma, N Mahathma and Venkatesh Murthy.

Clare Arni Trapeze – A Design Collective PRINTED AT: Pragati Offset Limited, Hyderabad PHOTOGRAPHY:

DESIGN AND CONTENT :

This book is distributed on the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without Tata Power Solar’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser and without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner.

a 25 year journey

CHASING THE SUN

A 25 year journey In many ancient depictions, the sun god rides a chariot across the sky, shedding its munificence on earth. Tata Power Solar harnesses this infinite glory of the sun each day. Our mission is focused: enabling solar solutions across India, from huge industrial installations that power whole regions, to household and community-level solutions that reach the remotest and the neediest populations across the country. 25 years ago in 1989, we began as a joint venture between the Tata Group and BP Solar. Quickly making our mark as an innovator in this exciting technology, we grew fast, eventually becoming a part of Tata Group in 2012. Garnering a global reputation for quality, efficiency, customer care and reliability, we continue to move swiftly towards our aim: making solar power available to the largest numbers at the most affordable prices. Today, Tata Power Solar has deep skills and capabilities to provide complete engineering, procurement and construction solutions for large, grid-connected solar power plants of megawatt scale. Our groundbreaking and advanced solar solutions help countless companies and individuals move away from captive diesel plants and their polluting and inefficient ways, to captive solar plants for their factories and businesses.

At the Tata group we are committed to improving the quality of life of communities, to making a difference, to paving the way towards a sustainable future for all. For 25 years, Tata Power Solar has been â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and continues to be â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at the forefront of this mission.

In partnership with various government, non-profit organizations and rural banks, we have brought essential electricity, water, heat and light to those mired in energy poverty. Our LED and CFL-based systems illuminate homes, streets and communities where there is no grid; our solar-powered water pumps irrigate fields without burning costly diesel; and our solar water heaters provide hot water 24hours a day to homes and businesses without using a minute of scarce electricity. This book commemorates our 25-year journey by highlighting a few of our successes in transforming lives in communities around the country. These initiatives are showcased through evocative images and stories of real people and their real progress because of the simple fact of solar power touching their lives.

CYRUS P MISTRY Chairman, Tata Group AJAY GOEL CEO, Tata Power Solar

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CONTENTS

chapter

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p. 12

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IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir

c h a p te r p. 236

FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur, Rajasthan

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT OF A MANGROVE FOREST

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE

Sundarbans, West Bengal

Korba, Chattisgarh

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INTRODUCTION

p.266 CLOSING NOTE

Tata Power Solar has touched every corner of India with its technology and its aim to bring the bounties of the sun to the energy-hungry. The voyage has taken us to far-flung places where determined, hard-working people live and work. Chasing the sun in its march across the skies, we harness its power to ease their lives and help sustain their environment.

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p.268 HOW SOLAR WORKS

c h a p te r p. 198

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH c hap ter

Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh p. 162

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli & Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu

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CHASING THE SUN

“The sun,–the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to man–burst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory.” Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

The sun has been many things to humankind, and the ancients understood its magnificent power well. They worshipped it in a myriad of ways, not only as a source of light, but of life and growth. Of wisdom and spiritual healing. Without understanding science the way we do today, they figured out that if Earth lives, it is because of this bright star. From animistic practices to organized religions, it became a God with mythologies of its own, as Ra, Surya, or Apollo. This star (scientifically described as spectral class G2 and luminosity class V) holds us in its sway. We have immortalized our love for it in temple carvings and cave paintings, textiles and jewellery. We dance around poles on the summer solstice, get married by walking around fire. We have dried dung cakes to line our house walls, soaked out the moisture from strips of meat or fruit to help us survive long journeys. We have used its heat to extract salt from the sea, or dry and disinfect our clothing. It is a clock, a compass and a source of fire to cook our food. In the modern world, sun-worshippers of a different kind throng tropical beaches in order to absorb its gift of colour. We take it for granted – we know it is ours forever.

Ceiling mural from Bundi palace, Rajasthan. Circa early 1800s

In the last few decades, though, some of us have begun to look at the sun and its endlessness from a different perspective. Through studying the heat and energy it emits, we have learned that it has another, more direct blessing for us. We have learned that the sunlight which falls on the earth’s surface every hour, is enough to meet the entire world’s energy needs for one year. We have seen that we can harness this energy during the day to make our nights more productive and social, and often, warmer; to make our schools and hospitals run, to power up our industries. We have understood that the sun could save our earth: we have seen its real power.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

In the Shadow of the Himalayas 12

LADAKH, JAMMU & KASHMIR

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

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CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

Dramatic, desolate landscapes captured in the imaginations and cameras of thousands of trekkers and sightseers. Capricious hints of colour from fluttering prayer flags. Monasteries that trap time in their secret sacred places. In fact, in Ladakh there is a sense that one is suspended in a timeless silence, unspeakably old, terribly wise. People too, live lives not much different from their ancestors. It’s like time has passed them by. The terrain is inhospitable, altitudes touch 11,000 feet above sea level and the temperatures are sub zero. Because the population of this remote corner of India is so sparse, (less than 2.5 Lakhs at last count) and because for half the year, snow cuts it off from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir, development fairly crawls 16

here. No electricity grid could stretch its steely claws this far, so until the 1990’s, the government would simply give diesel generators to people, schools and communities, with no thought to environmental, or for that matter, economic costs, long term. However, the influx of tourists has exponentially increased (it is now over 1 Lakh a year), so the need for power became even more urgent. Then the government turned to renewable energy.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

The Ladakhi way of life is centered around family and community.

Water is honoured as a community resource in Ladakh, to be shared by all equally, and never wasted. The run off from rivers and streams is carefully distributed according to a schedule prepared by each family in turns. The allocation of how much and for how long, is based on the size of the family’s holdings, and the villagers strictly adhere to this, never using more than they actually need. Even the method of irrigation is scientific and frugal. Family members can spend a whole day guiding water to each furrow with a technique that ensures minimum wastage. Economics and greed are left out of the picture entirely.

In a Ladakhi home, the traditional kitchen is a gathering place, bright and warm, complimenting the attire of the people and displaying their handskills with pride. The many carpets of varying sizes are usually woven by the family themselves in the lean winter months. The beautiful carved box is actually a thap, or Ladakhi stove, fueled with wood and dried dung cakes (although now, gas is often used) for cooking and warming the room. The intricately patterned flasks in the cabinet at the back are lined with glass, keeping their contents hot for a long time. Usually, the flasks are full of salt butter tea, sipped constantly by the family when they get together in the kitchen.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

Harnessing the Sun in Ladakh Because the glorious sunshine at 11,500 feet lasts nearly 360 days of every year, solar power is Ladakh’s perfect energy solution. Ladakh is now home to a range of almost completely subsidized solar technologies and solar plants. Tata Power Solar is a big part of this revolution, with offerings that are varied, fulfilling differing needs successfully. TPS has commissioned the largest number of big format solar power installations as well as small lighting systems in collaboration with the Ladakh Renewable Energy Agency (LREDA). Tata Power Solar, in alliance with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has supplied over 80 far-flung villages with lanterns and thousands of home lighting systems in Leh and Kargil, so that villagers have power for an unprecedented 8 hours everyday. In order to reach the Markha Valley, mules and yaks carried solar panels across the high, non-motorable passes of the mountains. In Hanle Village, TPS set up eight solar plants which power up the telescopes at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Truckloads of other solar products travel from Tata Power Solar’s manufacturing facility in Bangalore to Ladakh. These include solar pumps, solar fridges for vaccines, and solar street lighting, especially useful to the paramilitary forces stationed here. Solar water heaters are a boon for the population, custom-built for the climate.

25,945 Solar Installations/Products Micro grids, Home lighting systems, Solar lanterns, Solar street lights, Solar pumping systems, Solar water heating systems, Solar refrigerators

3178 kWh Energy generated per day

J 7,82,30,250 worth of energy generated till date

Tata Power Solar employs over 70 local technicians to install, service and maintain the lighting systems. These people report regularly to the regional office in Leh – which itself, is one of the highest solar service centres above sea level in India.

CHASING THE SUN

CHASING THE SUN IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh

Leh sits as an exotic, colourful portal into the ancient,

Leh & Around LEH / CHUCHOT / MATHO / SPITUK

unforgiving terrain of Ladakh, where people struggle in the face of nature and adversity to build meaningful lives, to achieve progress, and sometimes, just survive the winter. Solar energy has affected many of these lives. Solar plants have replaced noisy, polluting gensets, with all their attendant problems of

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transporting, storing and burning diesel, even using the same wiring used for the diesel generator. The impact has been felt on schools and mosques, entire villages or individual homes, whether in Leh or in the tiny villages hidden behind the crags and passes of this mountainous, defiant region. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not hard to imagine this setting in centuries past â&#x20AC;&#x201C; jostling with mules and pack-horses and camels, the air pungent with the tongues of traders from faraway places, acrid with opium, salt, sweat and wool. ~ Viramjit Ram, 'Tso and La'

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

CHOKHANG VIHARA Leh

In the heart of Leh lies the Chokhang Vihara, a Buddhist temple, made almost completely of wood, its ancient eaves and pillars painted with dragons and patterns in near-neon hues. Chants waft gently from the dimly lit monastery, just like they do every day, prayers for peace, tranquillity and happiness. In the hush of the library, scholars pore over dusty scrolls, deciphering centuries of Buddhist teachings. In another room, tourists exclaim over the Thangka exhibited for the Ladakh Festival. In the temple courtyard, a swirling drama unfolds. It is the masked monks from the Matho Gompa performing the vibrant steps of the traditional Chams dance.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

The Chams dance, dating back to the 8th century, is performed by Buddhist monks in order to conquer the evil outside and within us. The dancers, dressed in their resplendent ornaments and costumes, represent the guardians, protectors, the gods and goddesses who watch over humans.

15kW

15000 kWh/year

8 hrs/day

15 Monks

C H O K H A N G V IH A R A , Le h

In 2012, Tata Power Solar installed a 15kW solar unit at the Chokhang Vihara. It powers the lights in the monastery during prayers, which carry on for up to 7 hours a day.

CHASING THE SUN

A dream of a drum The beat of hearts Swirling brocade skirts Heavy with history... Trumpets announce The theatre of tradition Masked, But unveiled.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

JAMIA MASJID Leh

5kW

2500 kWh/year

Amidst the flat dwellings and shops of Lehâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bustling market street stands the tall spire of the mosque. It is relatively new (when compared to the 14th century palace just up the hill behind it) and architecturally distinct, yet somehow seems congruous with the warm tones of the dusty basin that is Leh. Morning prayers begin at 4am, much before the sun can make an appearance. The faithful line up to do their ablutions with the freezing cold water before they enter the well-lit prayer hall.

4-8 hrs/day

500 people

JA M IA M AS JID, Le h

Unlike most of their neighbours who still use generators, the mosque has had two 5kW Tata Power Solar home lighting systems since 2011, which are used as backup for when the electricity supply from the main grid fails, which is sometimes all day.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

ISLAMIA PUBLIC SCHOOL Leh

Shy smiles, tentative questions, sparkling eyes eloquent with dreams...what will the future bring?

7.5kW

3000 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

300 students

IS LA M IA P U BLIC S C H O O L , Le h

The infectious laughter of schoolchildren fills the crisp air. The students are at play, enjoying the end of the school day. The school itself is set at a magnificent spot, surrounded by mountains as far as the eye can see. 356 boys and girls, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist, study in this English medium school, which has been around since 1930. It has now moved into the 21st century with multimedia sessions and fun, interactive lessons for students. The last three years have also seen the school expand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there is a new building and new hostel facilities for students from outside Leh.

In 2010, Tata Power Solar fitted a 7kW plant at the school, fully subsidized by the LREDA, which powers its smart classrooms for lights and projectors. The school now saves Rs 2 Lakhs a year, which was earlier spent on a diesel generator, and this also keeps the school fees low.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

HEART FOUNDATION Leh This new non-profit centre brings a ray of hope for hundreds of patients with congenital and acquired heart disease in Ladakh, who earlier had to travel to Delhi for treatment. The high altitude, extreme cold, and arduous living conditions often lead to cardiac and respiratory problems among the inhabitants of this region. The hospital is built on land donated by the government, and supported by specialists from Delhi and Leh, as well as the Dalai Lama. The Centre even has a neo-natal ward, a godsend. In the deepest winter, when the power from the grid is not available, when even the abundant sunlight streaming in through the large plate glass windows isn’t enough to combat the -25º C temperature, the hospital resorts to ad hoc ways of insulation. A big tarpaulin in front of the entrance is used to trap heat, and the open corridors are lined with screens of woolen blankets to make smaller pockets of warmth. Health care facilities extend into the remoter regions as well. On the long, dusty road from Leh to Matho village is the 20-year-old Public Health Centre at Chuchot. It stays open 24/7, the only one that does so in all of Ladakh. With 6 beds and basic facilities, it is the point of succor for over 15,000 people from the villages around it.

5kW

2500 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

15 people

H E A R T FO U N DAT IO N , Le h

Dr. Deskit laughs with a new mother, cooing at her day-old infant in the maternity ward.

Since 2011, a 5kW Tata Power Solar plant powers all the lights in the 2-storey building of the Heart Foundation, as well the incubator.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

SPITUK MONASTERY Spituk On top of the hill stands the Spituk Gompa (or monastery) with its untold artefacts, overlooking Leh. A terrace riotously flaps with prayer flags. Inside the dim chamber, lit by a lantern and a few butter lamps, there is an unusual reception desk, manned by the stern-faced monk Tsering Angchuk, who stands guard over the inner sanctum. Replete with gifts of bottles of rum, tenrupee garlands and oil in containers, the room is a cross between a ration shop and ascetic’s cave. The Dalai Lama looks on indulgently from a poster on the painted stone wall, as visitors, many of whom are in army uniform, make offerings to the Goddess who resides here. Kali lies in wait in her chamber, her face and body glowing in the faint light emitted by the CFL bulb. It is as if the blazing sunlight outside is swallowed into Kali’s essence.

39 5kW

2500 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

4 lanterns

40 monks

S P IT U K M O N AST E RY, S p i t uk

The Spituk Gompa is an 11th century monastery, 18 kilometres from Leh. Besides the monastery, there is a temple here. Typically many-armed and terrifying, in this shrine, Kali is like a shy bride, her huge face hidden in a thick, silken veil, only to be revealed once a year on an auspicious day.

Tata Power Solar fitted a 5kW solar plant at the Spituk Gompa in 2012, which fulfils most of its lighting needs. A home lighting system and solar lanterns illuminate devotees and monks at fervent prayer.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

MAHABODHI INTERNATIONAL MEDITATION CENTRE Leh This campus is more than a space for spiritual instruction. Since 1986, it has served the community in several ways: as a monastery, a school, a nunnery, an old age home, a hospital and hostel for girls, boys and blind children. Wholly inclusive in its embrace, the school has students from isolated villages and from the nomadic tribes that come from as far away as Nubra Valley, Changtang, and Dhahanu. There are even some students from the north-east of India. The Centre prides itself on its ecologically sound and sustainable model of working.

10kW

2500 kWh/year

41 4-8 hrs/day

8 heaters

45000 litres/year

350 people

M A H A B O D H I I N T ERNATIO NAL M ED ITATIO N CEN TR E, Leh

In 2008, Tata Power Solar installed a 10kW plant here which powers water heaters and submersible pumps, making the lives of MIMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inhabitants so much easier, especially in the -30 degree winter weather. The heaters allow for a 24x7 supply of hot water (as per the capacity of the heater), For this to be possible, Tata Power Solar customized the systems: the overhead tank needed an insulation of 100mm lining of glass wool. Tanks and pipes were insulated with polyurethane foam.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

MATHO MUSEUM PROJECT Matho Perched high up on the side of a mountain, buffeted by screaming winds and 35 km from Leh, is this ancient monastery. Fading wall paintings of Buddhist fables look out over a stunning valley of patchwork fields and Lego villages.

The dark rooms of the monastery closely guard an invaluable hoard of antique artifacts, from threadbare thangkas (Buddhist paintings) to sculptures and masks. These artifacts would have been lost to the vagaries of time if not for a unique effort at restoration spearheaded by a local leader, and executed by one of the world’s leading restoration authorities, Nelly Rieuf. As project manager of the Matho Museum Project, Nelly has created a team of people, both international as well as picked from local youth, who are trained to painstakingly research and recreate the wonders of Buddhist history. The materials in use are many. The team collaborates with people who are familiar with metal, wood, silk, but they also source fabrics from the local markets. Most rare and expensive, however, are the natural dyes that the team must use in order to match the colours and paints of the ancient craftspeople who created these exquisite objects. The bottles are sourced from around the world. It is an expensive proposition – the restoration work costs over €4000 a month.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

5kW

2500 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

50 people

MAT H O M O N AST E RY, M ath o

In 2012, Tata Power Solar installed a 5kW plant at the monastery which provides it with electricity for light and to pump water. And not just after sunset: many parts of the monastery require lighting even in the day.

Many local youngsters are trained in the skilled restoration work, like Dechan Angmo, 26. This provides them with an alternative career to the earlier practise of leaving to find work in Leh.

The slow, careful and deliberate work of the restoration requires keen eyesight and great patience to perform.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

Jewel-like hues Of malachite and lapis The powder of true gold Mixed from tiny vials A steady hand, a loving eye Make a hundred lost years seem Like today 46

CHASING THE SUN

CHASING THE SUN IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS

Durbuk & Around TANGTSE / SHACHUKUL / THARUK / SPANGMIK

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Outside of Leh, several other districts have gained exponentially from Tata Power Solar’s installations. On the tourist trail from Chang La to Pangong Tso lies the little village of Durbuk – 13,500 feet above sea level, overlooking Panamic Tehsil, Chuchot Tehsil and Leh, and leading towards Tangtse, Shachukul, Tharuk and Pholongle. The everyday lives of the Ladakhi peoples here have undergone a sea change. They live better, yes, but they also profit economically with more working hours, whether they are weavers or shopkeepers. The absence of kerosene fumes from generators means healthier lungs, so medical costs are lower. Nothing we have seen has prepared us for this. It is not one mountain but seamless corrugations of bare-naked mountains, madly cycloramic, 360 degrees, thrown cheek by jowl like snoring jurassics. Across the sunburnt hide of the nearest, below us, far away, is the undulating claw-scratch that has conveyed onto this lizardback…this starkness lends itself eagerly to fantasy. ~ Viramjit Ram, 'Tso and La'

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

Feeling small Is only natural When the natural Is so magnificent.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

TANGTSE Durbuk Passing through Chang La, at 17,350 feet, on the third highest motorable road in the world, Tangste is the last village before the famed Pangong Lake that attracts thousands of visitors every year. Among the sounds of the wind creating its unique percussion with the strings of prayer flags that abound, there is the gentle gurgle of a stream and the whirr of an occasional bike heading to the lake. Otherwise, it is all stillness, all peace. The grandeur of the Himalayas is strong here. 100kW

85000 kWh/year

5-6 hrs/day

800 people

TA N GTS E V ILLAG E , D ur b uk

In 2004, the village was the first to have its own 100kW Tata Power Solar plant, supplying electricity to a population of 800 out of the 6000 that make up theTangtse-Durbuk block.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

This tailor comes from the plains, but his thriving practice keeps him in Tangtse. Deskit Dolkar runs the Chang La Shop, a fixture in Tangtse for 30 years. The shop supplies everyday, basic needs of the villagers, and stays open from 7am till 8pm.

Suraj is Punjabi and has been a barber in Tangtse for 5 years now.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

SHACHUKUL GOMPA SCHOOL Shachukul

Rows of little boys in the traditional red monks' robes are hard at work, their noses deep in their books. From another classroom, young voices ring out, chanting Buddhist texts. 7 km from Tangtse, in a school set up by the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), 45 teachers instruct students in subjects like Math, Science, Buddhism, Hindi and English. The students stay in hostels, as they come from far-flung villages and nomadic tribes. They are aged between 9-13 years old. In winter the school closes for two months, but many students stay here the whole year round, and so does one lama in the monastery.

5kW x 2

57 2500 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

45 Students

S H AC H U KU L G O M PA S C H O O L, S ha chukul

Shachukul Gompa was previously connected to Tangtseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100kW power plant, but in 2012, Tata Power Solar installed 2 plants of 5kW here, funded by the Sadbhavana cell of the army. A diesel generator lies unused. The 2 power plants (for the school and monastery) offer about 6-11 hours of electricity a day, powering lighting in both buildings (for prayers and carpentry work at the gompa). For heating, both monastery and school still use the old technique of burning wood and dung cakes.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

The children wake at 5am, even in winter. They spend the morning running and exercising, and doing oral and reading practice. Breakfast is at 8am, followed by prayers and room cleaning. Classes are from 10am-4pm, and then it is finally play time! Either carom – or football, in the most picturesque stadium in the known universe. At 6pm it’s back to prayers, dinner and revision of the day’s studies. And then it’s bed time for the exhausted monks-in-training!

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

The mountains Stand sentinel Their crags and peaks Mysterious, Proud, Bisected, By a road With no end.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

THE TSEWANGS Tharuk The Tsewangs live in in a rambling wooden house in Tharuk, 3 km from Tangtse. They are farmers and sheep rearers. The adults also work with the army’s development projects or the government’s rural development department. When winter freezes their fields, they resort to weaving. Their older daughter and middle grandson are away, studying in Leh. The 7 members of the family who live in Tharuk are always busy – studying, harvesting, weaving, herding sheep, doing farm chores or playing.

Tsewang Dolma slowly weaves the fabric for what will become her winter goncha (traditional Ladakhi garment) to face the bitter cold ahead. The wool for this comes from the couple’s own flock of 30 sheep.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

Punchok Wangchuk, Dolma’s father, is 84 and lives with the Tsewangs. He is seen here watching the family’s few cattle.

5kW

Inside the Tsewangs’ kitchen-living room, the elders sip on meetha chai (because it is not salt butter tea) as the room begins to get darker. At precisely 6.30pm, the three LED bulbs in the ceiling go on, flooding the room with light. Without pause, Tsewang Dolma sits on her beautiful rug, spinning wool into yarn. Deskit continues with her homework and 5-year-old Tenzing Daldon torments their pet cat “Billa”.

2500 kWh/year

4-8 hrs/day

30 families

TS E WA N G FA M ILY, T ha r uk

Families can continue their activities even after the sun goes down, because Tharuk is connected to Tangtse’s main plant set up by Tata Power Solar, which provides electricity from 6.30pm to 11.30pm.

CHASING THE SUN

PHOLONGLE

The purple slopes turn darker with night. The twin-armed street light obeys and switches on precisely at last light. Like all other solar powered systems, these lights need to be fed distilled water once a year. Tsewang, the TPS representative, suggests to villagers that in place of distilled water, they can use fresh snow or fresh rainwater collected in a rubber container.

8 streetlamps

12 hrs/day

25 families

PH O LO N G L E V I L LAGE

The lights set up by Tata Power Solar at Pholongle in 2012 are tweaked to take the high altitude into account: they have a specific gravity of 1.28, as opposed to 1.24 in the plains.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh • Jammu & Kashmir

Nature’s palette Extraordinary azure Brilliant aquamarine Others yet unnamed In full display Drive the soul’s blues away.

CHASING THE SUN

IN THE SHADOW OF THE HIMALAYAS Ladakh â&#x20AC;˘ Jammu & Kashmir

Pangong Tso Spangmik

For visitors to Pangong lake (and there are many), this little hamlet is the perfect place to stay, whether one decides to camp out or be cosy at a homestay. With 20 campsites and 9 households opening up for tourists, campers and bikers far outnumber the 50 or so locals during the tourist season. Every house has a home stay facility of 4 rooms or so, which completely fill up during the high season. Tourism is thus the primary source of income here.

Spangmik is the last point that civilians with an inner line permit are allowed to travel up toâ&#x20AC;Ś.it is literally, the end of the line.

15kW

15000 kWh/year

8 hrs/day

80 people

PA N G O N G TS O, Sp an g mik

Spangmik has its own 15kW Tata Power Solar plant since 2011 and home lighting systems since 2003, which power all houses and camping sites from 6pm to 4am.

Pangong Tso, the impossibly blue lake that to many epitomizes Ladakh, and was immortalized by the Bollywood film, 3 Idiots, begins just a few kilometers before Spangmik.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

A Light in the Jungle 72

CHATTISGARH

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

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A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Chattisgarh

CHASING THE SUN

One of the newest states of India, formed in 2000, and also its 10th largest, Chhattisgarh is a source of steel and electricity for the rest of the country. Large cement, coal and power plant chimneys line the horizon in several districts. On the plains, rice is grown in such quantities, that the state is called the rice bowl of India. Over 30% of the population of Chhattisgarh lives in the beautiful, thick jungles that cover the southern part of the state. This population is made up of adivasis, tribal people who can trace their ancestry back to the first inhabitants of the region. Forest dwellers, with a rich history of crafts, self-sufficiency 76

and living off natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bounty as hunters and gatherers, they are now poised between their traditional ways and modernity. But because of the extreme inaccessibility and conflict-ridden nature of these areas, basic needs sometimes cannot be met. Education, employment, sanitation and health facilities need a boost by the government, as does the power supply since most of these impenetrable forest villages are off the grid. This is ironic, as Chhattisgarh supplies surplus power to other states.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

The products collected from the darkest parts of the forest, those fashioned from the jungle’s bounties on the villagers’ doorsteps, as well as others brought in from the town, are displayed at the weekly village market. From bamboo baskets to bows and arrows, eatables to clothing, this is a cornucopia of treasures for the tribal community.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

Harnessing the Sun in Chattisgarh

The difficulties of electrification in the jungles of Chhattisgarh led to a collaboration in 2000 between Tata Power Solar and the Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) to launch solar power programmes of different types, like Village Electrification, Special Area Development, Tribal Community Development, etc., to suit the varying needs of the community. Tata Power Solar worked at designing, supplying and installing solar power plants, home lighting systems, street lights, solar water pumps, lighting for hostels and ashrams with solar power packs (which are a combination of solar PV panels, an inverter and a battery), and more. Overcoming challenges of geography, superstition and insurgency, the TPS team has electrified 300 - 400 villages in the area, bringing light and power to over 10,000 tribal people in Chhattisgarh.

9,810 Solar Installations/Products Micro grids, Home lighting systems, Power packs, Solar lanterns, Solar street lights, Solar pumping systems, Solar powered refrigerators.

14036 kWh Energy generated per day

J 13,79,86,095 worth of energy generated till date

For example, the home lighting project ensures that all the villagers are connected to the system in their vicinity, getting 2 CFLs each, which run from 6-10pm. The solar power packs are used to run fans, refrigerators, TVs and charge mobile phones. The Chattisgarh project epitomizes Tata Power Solarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of harnessing the energy of sun and making it available indefinitely at no cost to the villagers. TPS involves the local community in the maintenance of the modules, by giving basic training to one local person for simple upkeep like filling distilled water in batteries, module cleaning etc., promoting employment as well as self-sufficiency. In case there is a breakdown, a technician comes from the nearest town.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

CHASING THE SUN A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Chattisgarh

Korba District KUSHAR BHARI / DUDHITANGAR / DHAWAIBHARI / KUTUWARA / TENDUGHAT

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Korba district has a large power plant, yet, 25 kilometers away, the villages in the jungle have no electricity to speak of. The isolation of these little villages is exacerbated by bad roads and no transport facilities. For generations, the villagers’ sources of income have come from collecting and selling forest products, small-scale agriculture, raising domestic animals and tribal crafts – self contained, but lacking certain facilities. They have basic primary schools, but higher education and community health centers are available only in selected villages. The presence of the solar projects in their midst has changed their lives, though. Villagers can now spend more hours working, their children can study in the evenings, and be exposed to a new, expanded world through the radio and television. The mahua was in flower: waxy white petals: the bright primary colours of their skimpy saris streaked the brown earth like paint. ~ Dom Moraes, ‘The Forest’ The Penguin Book of Indian Journeys

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

SUKH SAGAR & BUDHAN BAI Kushar Bhari Village

Sukh Sagar belongs to one of the 3 tribes who live in this village of 30 homes. He is the local person employed to maintain the TPS solar power plant. Besides his prestigious government job, Sukh Sagar follows his traditional profession of gathering seasonal forest produce from deep in the jungle: tendu leaves used in beedi making, and mahua, used to make the local brew. Unlike some others who give the solar panels a God-like status and worship them everyday, he is highly appreciative of the scientific and life-changing potential of solar power. Sukh Sagar has one daughter, Alisha. When she is older, he will send her to the primary school in the village, but for her middle and high school, she will probably have to go a bigger village and stay in a hostel.

Sukh Sagarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife Budhan Bai makes brooms from grass that she collects from the forest.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

Sukh Sagar’s mother-in-law Sonabai is more traditional in her outlook and costume. Belonging to an older, more sheltered generation, she had 12 children, of which 7 survived the malaria so common in the region. Sonabai does the household shopping at the ration shop, where she gets staples that are subsidized by government – for example, rice is Rs 2 per kg.

The tribal custom is to hang a bunch of corn from the last harvest above the hearth. This slow-roasted corn is then used as seeds for the next cropping.

2kW

10 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

150 people

KU S H A R BH A R I V ILLAG E , Ko r b a

The Tata Solar Power plant in the village is happily perched on the outhouse of one of the villager’s homes.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

DHANESWAR Kushar Bhari Village Dhaneswar works in the nearby aluminium plant, Balco, as a daily wage labourer. He lives in Kushar Bhari with his young wife of a few months, Kumkum.

Dhaneswar shows the dal like-seeds that come from certain black leaves which he collects in the forest that can be used to power an explosive.

2kW

10 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

150 people

KU S H A R BH A R I V ILLAG E , Ko r b a

Tata Power Solar installed a plant in 2009 with a capacity of 2kW which which meets the basic lighting and power needs of the 150-member population of the village.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

The tribal people often supplement their diet with fresh catch from nearby streams and rivers. This ingenious device is a time and labour saving fishing tool. It is left in the river with the smaller end pointing downstream. The fish flow in to the basket, which has reeds positioned inside so fish can get in, but not out, while the water drains out.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

LATHIRAM Kushar Bhari Village

Lathiram collects bamboo from the forest, as well as other seasonal products which he can use or sell. Lathiramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Sukumathi makes winnowing baskets from this bamboo. It takes her 2 hours to make one of the intricately woven baskets, and she sells each for Rs 100. Besides his traditional occupation, Lathiram is employed by the government to help with the solar plant.

2kW

10 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

150 people

KU S H A R B H A R I VILLAGE, Ko r b a

Tata Power Solar installed a plant in 2009 with a capacity of 2kW which which meets the basic lighting and power needs of the 150-member population of the village.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

The forest sustains us with food Growing deep in her belly The sun dispells the cold from the trees The wind blows our way Bringing sweet rain How thankful we are To our mother nature.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

CHARAN KORWA Dhudhitangar Village Charan Korwa is the president of the Korwa tribe in Dhudhitangar. He and his wife Sushila have four sons and live together in the only pucca house in the village, which they can afford as they are the only land-owning family around (they own 1.5 acres)

1kW

5 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

35 people

D U D H ITA N G A R V ILLAG E , Ko r b a

Before TPS and its solar plant of 1kW came to their rescue, the villagers used firewood for light as well as heat (even kerosene was too expensive).

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

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The tribe that inhabits this village is usually nomadic and likes living in the hills. But ever since since TPS introduced solar power here in 2003, they have stayed on in the village. The village lies much deeper in the heart of the forest, and only 7 homes have availed of the light and power from the plant.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

BANDHANI BAI Dhawaibari Village

In Dhawaibari Village, TPS introduced the homelighting scheme in 2008. Bandhani Bai is a widow who is a matriarch in the Manjhwar tribe. She lives in a joint family of 11 which makes its living collecting forest produce, fishing, a little farming, and from the NREGA government employment scheme.

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A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District • Chattisgarh

Puran Singh, the oldest son in the family, mends his fishing net which he needs before his next foray to the river to catch fish for the family’s dinner and for sale.

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The family enjoys the benefits of the solar light and power which emerges like magic from the incongruous little TPS panel on their common home’s thatched roof.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

The large airy family home has a unique carved pattern on every alcove, an art form passed down through generations.

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Bundkunwar makes leaf cups for sale in the village market as well for use at home by people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and goats! 3 systems

0.55 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

15 people

DH AWA I B A R I V I LLAGE , Ko r b a

The villagers are connected to the main system that Tata Power Solar set up here in 2008, providing home lighting which runs from 6-10pm and power to charge appliances.

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CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

BHARAT MATA SCHOOL Kuturwa Village The Bharat Mata School is a residential middle school established in 1972 by the Catholic Apostelate Society. It has 70 girls and 60 boys up to standard 8 who come from smaller villages and very poor families.

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4kW

20 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

130 students

BH A R AT M ATA S C H O O L, Kut ur wa Vi l l a g e

The school gets 4-5 hours of lights every day because of the 4kW module which Tata Power Solar has installed here since 2004. No power comes from any other source, including the national grid.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

Some bask in the warmth of a lazy morning sun Yet others benefit from its energy Absorbed Swallowed Converted Into pure light.

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A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

CHABBURAM Tendughat Village

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Besides retail, he also grows vegetables which he sells in his shop along with biscuits, soap and other essentials.

Chabbu Ram Dewangan runs a shop, which along with his home, receives light and power for 24 hours from a 1kW capacity power plant which TPS has set up, owned solely by him. CREDA subsidized the plant up to Rs 1,68,000 while Chabbu Ram paid the balance of Rs 37,000.

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A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

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4kW

20 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

200 people

T E N D U G H AT V ILLAG E , Ko r b a

Besides privately owned modules, Tata Power Solar has installed a 4kW solar community power plant at Tendughat Village in 2009, which powers 42 houses with 2 lights each for 4 to 5 hours.

CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

JAMUNA BAI Tendughat Village Jamuna Bai operates the printer and scanner in her supermarket, which she runs with her husband, Vijay Kumar Dewangan. They also have their own 1kW power pack unit. Since it is the only such store in the vicinity, it is popular and does brisk business for long hours. The 24 hour lighting that the TPS solar module brings, helps business tremendously. Besides, the printer and scanner, which scan documents and make photos for the whole community, can run for many more hours now.

4kW + 1kW

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25 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

3 people

T E N D U G H AT V ILLAG E , Ko r b a

In Tendughat, Chabbu Ram and Vijay Dewangan own their own 1kW TPS power plants, installed in April 2013, allowing them 24x7 lighting and power.

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CHASING THE SUN

A LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE Korba District â&#x20AC;˘ Chattisgarh

From on high The old and the new Mix well; A holy plant, A forgotten blouse And technology Rub shoulders Happily.

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CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

Dappled Sunlight on a Mangrove Forest 120

SUNDARBANS, WEST BENGAL

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CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

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The islands are the trailing threads of India’s fabric, the ragged fringe of her sari,the ãchol that follows her, halfwetted by the sea. ~ Amitav Ghosh, ‘The Hungry Tide’

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

The ‘beautiful forest’ sits precariously poised at the edge of India, its deltas spreading like fragile fingers into the Indian Ocean, its mangroves sheltering tigers (the highest concentration in the world), deer and wild boar; its waters rich with crab and fish, but also with shark and crocodile. This splendid biodiversity of 250 types of fish, 220 types of birds, and 34 different types of mangrove species has been declared a UNESCO world heritage biosphere, vulnerable as it is to human interference and natural calamities including floods, storms and erosion. The unique character of the Sunderbans and its fragility make it a challenging place to live. Apart from the danger of wild 124

predators, it is cut off from the mainland, which means all goods, building materials, and supplies can only reach the villages here after travelling 4 - 5 hours by road from Kolkata, and then on ferries. Tides ebb and flow at tremendous levels. People eke out a simple living from fishing and farming rice and occasionally other crops like betel nuts.

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CHASING THE SUN

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

People rise at the crack of dawn and tend to their fields, often standing for hours in the slushy soil during harvest time. Families keep ducks, chickens, goats, and because the low-lying ground makes access to water easier, many houses have a manmade pond that sustains a great deal of life. Fish thrive here, children are bathed and vessels scrubbed in its waters.

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CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

Harnessing the Sun in Sundarbans

Before solar power was introduced to the Sunderbans, people depended on diesel generators and kerosene lamps – some of the worst contributors to climate change – as the area is not connected to the electricity grid. And so, the efforts of Tata Power Solar towards the electrification of the region by the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) were a welcome step, considerably altering lives and productivity of the community.

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15,820 Solar Installations/Products Micro grids, Home lighting systems, Solar lanterns

3207 kWh Energy generated per day

J 1,48,18,500 Rupees worth of energy generated till date

Tata Power Solar was commissioned by the WBREDA to set up solar installations, power plants, homelighting systems and centralized charging of solar lanterns in the Sunderbans as early as 1993, even before TPS had a Kolkata office. The engineers and personnel had to battle unfavourable living and weather conditions, danger from wildlife and the difficult transporting of panels and parts by boat to establish the projects. The two projects that evidenced tremendous success were the 110kW one at Indrapur Village and the 10kW plant at Rajatjubili Village, of which the latter was an initiative of TPS with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India and Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) Projects Australia, using the Bushlight India Model.

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CHASING THE SUN

CHASING THE SUN DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans, West Bengal

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On the final delta, at the edge of the world, lies Indrapur Village, with its population of 300. Many have migrated to the packed cities of India in search of better prospects, but those left behind (usually the women and the children) lead a simple, self-sufficient life. There are schools in the village, as well as a doctor who runs a Primary Health Care Centre.

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The huge stilt-roots of vast ancient mangrove trees could be seen snaking about thirstily in the dusk, sucking in the rain and becoming thicker than elephants’ trunks, while the mangroves themselves were getting so tall that, as Shaheed Dar said afterwards, the birds at the top must have been able to sing to God.

~ Salman Rushdie, ‘Midnight’s Children’

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

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110kW

15000 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

4591 people

IN D R A P U R V ILLAG E , Pat ha r p rat i ma

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

THE MONDAL FAMILY Indrapur

The TPS solar panel perched incongruously on the roof of the Mondal family’s hut has improved their lives in ways they never imagined. Their every activity has benefitted and their work hours extended. Shanta dries red chillies for their daily use, while Parol stitches her beautiful blanket, made from 6 old sarees, which will be a blessing in the coming winter months. Boran’s gnarled hands are experienced enough that they could weave the intricate nets even in his sleep, (in fact, he can continue to weave while taking a stroll) yet the lights at night bring relief to his aging eyes.

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110kW

15000 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

The family’s clothes and linen drying on the roof seem to be vying for the sun’s attention along with the solar panels and the little satellite dish.

4591 people

IN D R A P U R V ILLAG E , Pat ha r p rat i ma

The TPS facility at Indrapur gives each family shop an option – they can get 3 or 5 power outlets, paying a monthly fixed amount to the government of Rs100 or Rs150 respectively.

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

THE GIRI FAMILY Indrapur The Giris farm rice, grow vegetables in their kitchen garden and keep cows and goats for milk. Their humble hut made of mud, with its terracotta and thatched roof, is transformed by the tubelight glowing gently from the ceiling, slightly out of place, yet life-changing.

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139 110kW

15000 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

4591 people

Tanushri studies late into the night while her mother Basana Giri cooks by the light of the solar unit they have purchased.

IN D R A P U R V ILLAG E , Pat ha r p rat i ma

Like other families in the village, they grow betelnut in special, sacred enclosures where superstition allows only the owner to enter.

Tata Power Solar set up the Indrapur solar plant in 2003, funded by the WBREDA. It has a capacity of 110kW. It runs for 5 hours, from 5pm till 10pm, and on special occasions like festivals, an hour more is allowed. Each family/ shop has an option â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they can get 3 or 5 power outlets, paying a monthly fixed amount to the government of Rs100 or Rs150 respectively.

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

My man Is far away, So the fish for supper Are mine to catch My life is an island – Water and the earth sustain me Through it all 140

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

WEEKLY BAZAAR Indrapur There is a village market every two weeks, where people come from near and far to sell their wares. Tata Power Solar has facilitated solar powered lights, ensuring that the market is a bustling, growing success. It carries on into the night, allowing villagers to work in the daylight hours and buy or sell goods after dark.

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15000 kWh/year

5 hrs/day

4591 people

IN D R A P U R V ILLAG E , Pat ha r p rat i ma

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

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In winter, the sun sets by 4.30pm. But that doesn’t bother teacher Noresh Pramanik, who holds his tuition classes in the evenings in his home because of the solar powered lights from TPS he has in his house.

Individual home lighting kits have been flying off the shelves of Subhendu Das’s electrical goods shop ever since the villagers have seen the benefits of solar power in their neighbouring homes and shops.

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

From the mainland I come laden With food, with clothes, And all manner of things For my island home Just ahead.

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CHASING THE SUN

CHASING THE SUN DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans, West Bengal

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This little village lies on a separate delta from Indrapur, a two hour ferry ride from the mainland. It has a hostel for teachers, but the nearest Primary Health Centre is an hour away. Yet the village is unique: its denizens have been the subjects of an innovative experiment in community energy sharing. Set up by WWF -India and CAT Projects, Australia, and using the Bushlight India Model, the project assures the village of reliable, renewable power for 24 hours each day.

“Joley Kumir, Dangai Bag” translates as “Tigers on land and crocodiles in the water”. ~ Old Sundarbans saying

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

On 9 March 2011, Tata Power Solar set up a micro solar power station and an accompanying initiative funded by CAT. 60 households – earlier dependent on kerosene lamps and batteries – were given an energy management device, a programmable meter called ‘Urja Bandhu’. The quota for each home, its cost, as well as the logistics and suitability of the project to the community, were discussed intensely over a period of time with the villagers by CAT. The community was educated on energy efficiency, and taught how to budget their energy allocation. There is a certain amount of energy trading. For example, a person living alone, who may not need all of his quota, can sublet it to a larger family. This way there is little waste and a sustainable practice emerges, and people have uninterrupted supply of power in their homes. The project is wholly owned by the community. The villagers operate and manage its finer details. A committee, comprising beneficiaries, handles matters related to the Urja Bandhu, taking into account discussions with the villagers, including the women who have a strong voice in the matter.

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10kW

22.3 kWh/day

24 hrs/day

360 people

RA JATJ U B I L I V I L LAGE , Go sab a

The TPS device, the ‘Urja Bandhu’ has a fixed quota per day, depending on the individual need of the household or establishment. A household can have either 200kWh (Rs 100 per month) or 400kWh (Rs 150 per month). Once the quota is used up, the device recharges itself in a day.

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

10kW

22.3 kWh/day

24 hrs/day

360 people

RA JATJ U B I L I V I L LAGE , Go sab a

Ashit Ray, a land-owner, donated space to house the 10kW Tata Power Solar plant which now connects 60 households, six local businesses and three community buildings. 152

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DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

USHA SARDAR Rajatjubili Now that she has light after dark, Usha Sardar supplements her farming income with embroidery and making decorations for functions. Her husband is a migrant worker in Nainital, and comes home rarely.

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Usha is engrossed in stitching intricate patterns on to a gunny-sack with the icon of the Sunderbans, the ubiquitous tiger, emblazoned on it. Her tiny home is a study in contrasts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the walls imprinted with calendar art and deities, side by side with electronic and solar equipment.

CHASING THE SUN

Usha’s son is in Class 10. He helps his mother out by repairing mobile phones and with the function decorations after school. Usha has saved enough to buy a cycle van which she happily uses to transport the materials for decoration to the function venue. 156

157

10kW

22.3 kWh/day

24 hrs/day

360 people

RA JATJ U B I L I V I L LAGE , Go sab a

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans • West Bengal

The lives of the villagers of Rajatjubili have transformed over the last few years. Because the users know that they have a pre-determined amount of power every day, they use it efficiently and productively. Children study longer hours, and have access to television and thus global exposure. Shops stay open much longer, carpenters and suchlike can use their tools for more hours, and entrepreneurial ventures like mobile phone stores have mushroomed, giving a much needed retail boost to the little economy of the village. Brightly-lit streets keep tigers and other wild animals away, and have made the villagers’ late night bathroom visits to the fields safer.

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10kW

22.3 kWh/day

24 hrs/day

360 people

R A JATJU BILI V ILLAG E , G o s a b a

CHASING THE SUN

DAPPLED SUNLIGHT ON A MANGROVE FOREST Sundarbans â&#x20AC;˘ West Bengal

Twilight meant A sort of death, before: Predators prowling A candle flickering out... Now dusk is alive With progress And hope.

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District • Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

Shimmering Horizon over Endless Seas 162

THIRUNELVELI & THOOTHUKUDI, TAMIL NADU

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District • Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

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Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free, To capture the leaping wealth of the tide, for we are the kings of the sea! ~ Sarojini Naidu, ‘The Coromandel Fishers’

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

One of the world’s oldest cultures flourished here, producing literature, dance and music that reverberate even today. Prosperity, too, abounded. Since then, the state of Tamil Nadu has been a breed apart – be it politics, cinema or economic development (it is the second largest state economy in the country). It is one of India’s most literate regions. A large rural population subsists on farming, and the long coast provides others a livelihood from the sea, including fishing and boat making. The government of Tamil Nadu has several schemes for its poorer population, including education, employment and housing at the village level. However, a shortfall in electricity is a huge problem in the state, with both urban and village areas suffering long power cuts 166

daily. Realizing the need for renewable energy, the government set up the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) as early as 1985, which has since taken up several renewable energy initiatives to improve rural conditions all across the state. For people living below the poverty line, the Tamil Nadu government has created the unique Solar Powered Green House Scheme.

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

168

The people of rural, coastal Tamil Nadu are essentially fisherfolk, but they dabble in agriculture, matchstick making, growing and weaving flowers into garlands, and grocery retail. Basket weaving from palmyra and jaggery making are also common professions. Those who cannot make ends meet, often migrate to the nearest big town or city for daily wage labour.

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CHASING THE SUN

CHASING THE SUN SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Tamil Nadu

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Thirunelveli District is the second largest district in Tamil Nadu. It is home to the 5 geographical contradictions immortalized in Tamil literature, i.e. kurinji (mountains), mullai (forest), marudham (paddy fields), palai (desert) and neithal (coastal). The villages which have benefitted from the Green House Scheme of the state government lie on the last of these geographical features: the coast, heading a little inland as well. People here are farmers as well as fisherfolk. Amidst their poverty and the often parched lands they inhabit, the population has a high sex ratio, and most children go to school. Ahead rose the great palmyra forest, the cockaded palm tall and erect… All around them, the land glowed a deep red as though the intense heat of summer had plunged deep within the earth and taken up permanent residence there. ~ David Davidar, ‘The House of Blue Mangoes’

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

UVARI VILLAGE Thirunelveli District The sleepy little village of Uvari, with a population of 5700, is perched just off the southernmost tip of India. The people here catch fish, process it for sale and export, and engage in allied professions like repairing and building the colourful boats that go out to sea every day.

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The tiny hamlet has its fair share of churches, shrines and temples. The most curious is the Kappal Matha (Our Lady of Good Health) Church built in modern style in 1974 over the original shrine of St. Mary which was damaged by the sea.

CHASING THE SUN

Rejington and his wife Shobha have four children. Every morning, Rejington sets out with his companions at 5am in boats made of fibre glass, and returns at 10am with the day’s catch. They fish in pairs – while both head out to sea to fish, one returns to shore with the catch and the other continues to fish. Not all the fishermen own the boats they use. Many of them are rented, in exchange for a half share in the profits from each day’s haul. The government subsidizes their fuel costs.

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Rejington and Shobha’s house is the only one in their neighbourhood with TPS solar powered lights from the Green House Scheme. During the 6-8 hours of power cuts, children from neighbouring homes come by to Rejington’s brightly lit and painted house to study and do their homework in the evenings.

100 W

5 hrs/day

4 people

UVA R I V I L L AG E , T h ir u n e lve li

TPS provides thousands like Rejington with solar lighting in their homes allowing them to be productive despite the 6-8 hour power cuts in the regular supply.

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

VATTANVILLAI VILLAGE Thirunelveli District Jayakumar has been a palm tree tapper for 22 years now. It is a risky and taxing job that has taken its toll on his body. He must climb the tree, which he leases, 3 times a day to collect its sap so that he extracts every bit of goodness from it. He can then sell each tin can of sap for Rs 200. In his younger days he could collect many more than the 3 cans he manages now.

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Jayakumar says a prayer before he climbs any tree, amusing his little daughter Krishnaveri (the youngest of his 4 children) who sometimes comes with him to work.

3 people

VAT TA N V ILLA I V ILLAG E , T hi r une l ve l i

TPS supplies homes under the Green House Scheme with a 100W solar unit which gives them 4 hours of power per day.

CHASING THE SUN

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

Poovammalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands move relentlessly, weaving basket after basket of palm leaves. Every part of a palm tree is put to use by her and her family. She is an expert on the leaves, which she dries and weaves into screens, lamps, mats and more, both for sale and for personal use. 182

183

100 W

5 hrs/day

3 people

VAT TA N V ILLA I V ILLAG E , T hi r une l ve l i

Ever since Poovammal and her son moved into the Green House, the Tata Power Solar lights in every room have allowed them to increase their productivity exponentially. She she can now weave her baskets into the night. Her son, who runs a fast food stall, can use an electric grinder to prepare masalas.

CHASING THE SUN

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thirunelveli District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

The flowers I grow Will become garlands tomorrow For no longer do I squint Like a bird in the night Instead, my home Is gay and bright

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CHASING THE SUN SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Tamil Nadu

Thoothukudi MAPPILAIYOORANI / ILLUPAIYOORANI

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Known as the ancient gateway to Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi (also called Tuticorin) is the seat of one of India’s oldest dynasties, the Pandyas, who have left remarkable archaeological sites in their wake. Now, the district is more famous for the pearls it produces. The villages, where the Green House Scheme is ongoing, are numerous in this region. Primarily comprising of fisherfolk, there are also people in the villages who engage in groundnut and cotton cultivation, as well as myriad other small scale occupations. Water is in short supply here, and much of the water meant for the villages is siphoned off to the big copper factories close by (which are also suspected of causing the high rates of tuberculosis in these parts). Like in Thirunelveli, most children go to school – every village has a primary school, and there are high schools every 5 kilometers. At the limits of his vision, the pale beige of the sky merged with the golden skin of the sea with only the thinnest of lines showing where the earth’s rim separated the two. Out of those depths they had come, foreign adventurers and travellers by the shipload, to marvel at and to be seduced by the astonishing riches of India. ~ David Davidar, ‘The House of Blue Mangoes’

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SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thoothukudi District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

MURUGALAKSHMI Mappilaiyoorani Village This village has over 32,000 people who live below the poverty line. Electricity is sporadic, with 5-8 hour power cuts every day, in 2 hour stretches. The 70 houses that come under the Green House Scheme are spared this inconvenience. Murugalakshmi is a widow who works at a fish drying yard, sorting and processing the poor grade catch which is dried out for use as chicken feed. She, along with the other women from her village who work here, earns Rs 200 for a full dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard work. Others in the village travel to Thoothukudi to earn daily wages at the saltpans.

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5 hrs/day

When she and her children moved out of their thatched hut to the Green House powered by TPS, their lives changed. Earlier, the only light they had was the hearth fire. Now, when she comes back from a tiring day at work, Murugalakshmi can relax and watch television with her 6 children in brightly lit rooms.

7 people

M A P P ILA IYO O R A N I V ILLAG E , T ho o t hukud i

70 houses come under the Green House Scheme powered by TPS in this village. They now have power through the evening hours, where before, 5-8 hour power cuts made their lives miserable.

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thoothukudi District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

LEELAVATHI Illupaiyoorani Village This village lies in an area with low rainfall. People can grow only one crop of chilli, maize, ragi or cotton a year. Leelavathi is 50, and like other women in the village, works at a nearby match factory to supplement the salary her husband, a daily wage coolie brings in. She works 10 hours a day, making Rs.150 each day. They have a daughter, Mariswari.

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Leelavathi chooses the best planks of wood, expertly stripping them down to thinner sheets that will then be cut into matchsticks.

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thoothukudi District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

CHASING THE SUN

100 W

5 hrs/day

9 Green Houses powered by solar lights and panels are occupied in this little hamlet. One of them is Leelavathiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pucca, red and white home, which she will soon move into, leaving behind the ramshackle assembly of tin and wooden poles she and her family have lived in until now.

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Once the matches have been machine cut, Leelavathi and the other women spread them out on the ground to dry.

2 people

ILLU PA IYO O R A N I V ILLAG E , T ho o t hukud i

TPS makes the solar photo-voltaic systems with smart technology, and they charge the battery from the electricity grid only on cloudy or rainy days when solar energy is insufficient. Even if it rains for 3 whole days, the battery can stock up enough power from the panel for the supply to be un-interrupted.

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PEETCHIAMMAL Illupaiyoorani Village Peetchiammal’s husband walked out on her 12 years ago, and she has not heard from him since. A fiercely independent woman, she supports herself and her brother’s daughter whom she has adopted by working at the match factory for daily wages. She keeps her garden neat and her home pretty. The pride of place is occupied by the television which is powered by Tata Power Solar’s panels and which gaily spouts its programmes as Peetchiammal does her chores, often even after dark because she has CFL lighting in every room.

100 W

5 hrs/day

2 people

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ILLU PA I YO O R A N I VILLAGE , Th o o th u ku d i

195

The TPS unit powers up Peetchiammal’s precious television, so her daughter and she can enjoy watching it together in the evenings when they come home from school or work respectively.

The match factory allows Peetchiammal to take home leftover wood at the end of the day, which she uses as firewood for cooking.

CHASING THE SUN

SHIMMERING HORIZON OVER ENDLESS SEAS Thoothukudi District â&#x20AC;˘ Tamil Nadu

I have much To be thankful for My offerings Say it all My village is a brighter place My hut now a home.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District • Andhra Pradesh

Blazing Heat on Parched Earth 198

ANANTAPUR, ANDHRA PRADESH

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District • Andhra Pradesh

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The rain drop that fell in the shell became a pearl, The one that fell in water merged with water, Where there’s devotion, there’s bound to be fruit - poem by 17th century Telegu poet Vemana

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CHASING THE SUN

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

Anantapur is the largest district of Andhra Pradesh, and was named after a large water tank, Ananthasagaram (meaning boundless ocean) built in the 12th century. It is ironic then, that now it is a hot, rocky and arid district, with the second lowest rainfall in India (542 mm per year). Surviving these conditions is an agrarian population whose bright smiles and colourful sarees mask the fact the last few years have been drought-like. Compounding their woes, infrastructure is minimal, and electricity makes an appearance barely two hours of the day, if at all. Several government and private initiatives have made inroads into resolving the predicament of the farmers. If only viewed from 202

a different perspective, they have seen that there is tremendous potential for horticultural success, as well as in other fields like sericulture. Investments in irrigation and the development of highways and other infrastructure have improved yields and marketing opportunities already; crop loan insurance and employment guarantee schemes have worked towards transforming the lives of the famers in this region, which is barely two hours away from the bustling megacity of Bangalore.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

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Farmers in Anantapur grow mainly groundnuts on their rocky, pebbled-filled land holdings, a crop which grows only 3-4 months a year. Others own and tend goats, grazing them on the hilly slopes around. Water is scarce: after years of farming the land and poor rainfall, the closer sources of water have dried out. The village women have to trek 3-5 km to a man-made reservoir that acts as a catchment for the runoff from the scarce rains, and appears to be the only source of water in the region.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

Harnessing the Sun in Anantapur

The sun shines bright and hot in Anantapur. Recognizing this, the technologies offered by Tata Power Solar and other renewable energy providers have been dipped into by the government and non-profit organizations like the Rural Development Trust (RDT) to alter the conditions faced by the rural community here, as they are off the electricity grid. In 2005, Tata Power Solar began supplying solar pumps to the villages that came under this scheme, to pump water for drip irrigation, as its features were ideal for this purpose. The beneficiaries get a TPS supplied solar powered pump, and a drip irrigation set sponsored by RDT. Usually, 2-3 farmers share a pump; sometimes families pool their land and resources and share a pump equally. Each pump powers drip irrigation for 10-15 acres of land, which is an excellent cost-benefit per acre.

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91 Solar Installations/Products Solar pumping systems

819 kWh Energy generated per day

J 85,99,500 worth of energy generated

The yield has gone up significantly, as has its quality; and the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; water requirements have reduced. Their lives have dramatically altered: profit margins have increased, debts have been erased, and education for children is finally possible.

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CHASING THE SUN BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh

Anantapur DORIGALLU / CHANNARAYUNIPALLI / SHEKSHANIPALLI

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The farmers in the villages of Anantapur are mostly from the landless classes. Granted land by the government a few decades ago, they struggle to make it productive because of problems with water scarcity, both in the ground and from rain, as well as the stubborn topography of the terrain. Thus crop yield, which mainly consists of groundnuts, is fairly low, compelling many families to take up daily wage work. In 2000, the NGO RDT suggested that the farmers switch to cultivating fruits like mango, sapota, guava and jamun which give better yields and can be grown over a longer period in the year as compared to groundnuts. The next 3-4 years saw the government introduce drip irrigation systems in Anantapur. But sourcing water was still a problem. This is where TPS stepped in to provide solar technology as a sustainable solution. It is better to have water at your place, rather than run and have milk. ~ Telugu Saying

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

DORIGALLU VILLAGE Anantapur In 2000, 43 families from this little village approached governmental and non-governmental agencies working in the area to help them improve their yields and come out from under the burdens of debt and poverty. Their land, which was sloping, lying in a valley between two hills, was rocky and subject to topsoil erosion in the rains. Ten thousand mango plants were distributed among the families, with an intercrop of groundnuts and red gram in the 30 foot area between the mango trees. To grow these plants, the farmers had to bring water from long distances, by foot or tractor, and water each plant separately. Soon the water resources began to run dry. By 2004, there was no water for an area of 5km around the village, and by 2006, even the reservoir of the small Yogi Vemana project was not enough for their needs. Tata Power Solar supplied 7 solar photo-voltaic pumps to draw water for the drip irrigation systems donated to the families, allowing them freedom from fetching water and watering each plant. The mango crop is now 10 years old, and its yield is bountiful. 212

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2 hp

5 hrs/day

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D O R IG A LLU V ILLAG E , A na nt a p ur

Groundwater is found at about 70-80 feet here; a Tata Power Solar pump goes as deep as 165 feet, and is capable of delivering water through 1.5 inch pipes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; supporting the drip irrigation and conserving every drop of water to effectively irrigate 100 horticulture plants per acre.

CHASING THE SUN

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

Chinna Venkatappa clearing weeds in the patch where the precious solar panel resides on his 14 acres of land, upon which he grows large orchard of 1,000 mango trees.

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Mallay reaches out for a juicy mango from one of the trees on his plantation.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District • Andhra Pradesh

Sriram Reddy is proud of his shiny solar water pump which he shares with his brothers, Gopal Reddy and Ramakrishna Reddy. Each brother owns 6 acres of land, and they take turns to clean and maintain the solar equipment. The hard days of poor groundnut crops and meager profits (less than Rs 8,000 per year) which had to be supplemented with back-breaking labour in others’ fields are in the past. The shared TPS pump and the 850 plants received from RDT have been a double boon: the first crop earned them Rs 10,000 each. Now the Reddys’ combined income is Rs 2.5 Lakhs per year from just their mango crop. No longer in debt, their credit worthiness is high. All their children go to school and one of the sons is in engineering college. Well respected in society as independent farmers, they also provide employment to others who work on their lands.

The solar panels are the villagers’ most valuable asset. At night, villagers take turns to sleep in small bamboo huts to protect them from thieves. The huts are raised high above the ground, because the forest is thick with snakes and foxes.

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2 hp

5 hrs/day

43 families

D O R IG A LLU V ILLAG E , A na nt a p ur

Tata Power Solar’s photo-voltaic pumps have created a mini-revolution for the Reddy brothers by reducing labour, increasing productivity and profits.

CHASING THE SUN

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

Silver glints Among lush greens The sun captured, The land re-birthed... Past and present Combine The future seems so bright. 218

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District • Andhra Pradesh

CHANNARAYUNIPALLI VILLAGE Anantapur Nine families from this village chose to come together and work for their common good. Originally landless, they were given a tract of land, about 25 acres, by the government 30 years ago. However, they were never able to make a go of it, as the land was rocky, hilly and not very cultivable. The short-lived groundnut crop and scarcity of water compounded the problem, forcing all the families to work as labour to add to their income. Like the other villages, they were given mango plants – around 75 saplings per acre – along with which they also planted jamun, amla, coconut, sapota, acid lime, guava, and pomegranate. Then, in 2007, Tata Power Solar supplied them one solar photo-voltaic pump set to facilitate the drip irrigation set donated to them. In 2011, the first crop yielded them a total of Rs 9,000. By 2012, they were earning Rs 20,000 between the 9 families. They feel they have a long way to go, as their yield is not as high as other villages in the area.

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2 hp

5 hrs/day

9 families

C H A N N A R AY U N IPA LLI V ILLAG E , A na nt a p ur

The TPS photo-voltaic pump has benefitted 9 families in this area by facilitating drip irrigation in the cultivation of fruits, increasing their yield exponentially.

CHASING THE SUN

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The villagers of Channarayunipalli discuss horticultural problems with Mr Sardanappa, RDTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social technical organizer who meets them regularly to discuss new methodologies for farming, as well dispensing advice on the upkeep of the TPS panels panels that are the lifeblood of their irrigation practices.

CHASING THE SUN

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

A new home Beckons me I leave my mark As I enter... The sun on my back The mango orchard a shady respite I wonder what awaits me In the fresh-ploughed field of life?

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

SHEKSHANIPALLI VILLAGE Anantapur

The landless families who live in this village were granted 5 acres of land each by the government but were struggling to make a profit from its yield. RDT advised the 42 families to grow fruits, but also diversify their plantations with bananas, and vegetables like chillies, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, tomato, and border crops of pumpkin, grown on the periphery of the plantation. In 2011, TPS supplied them with solar pumps. This helped tremendously to increase their crop yield and profits.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

Prasad is a young man who has been a part of the change TPS and its technology has brought about in his family. His father Pedda Devanna, along with his two brothers, Chinna Devanna and Laleppa were among the families that benefited from installing a solar photo-voltaic pump which they share to irrigate their combined 9.8 acres of land. Prasadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whole family now grows 460 mango trees, 50 sapota trees and 10 jamun trees. On one acre of land they have a thriving banana plantation of 1452 banana trees and half an acre of vegetables. In between the fruit planting, the soil is allowed to rest, and groundnuts are grown as a supplementary crop. By 2012, the three brothers were able to earn between them a total of Rs 1.66 lakhs. Besides their land holdings, they also own a bullock cart, 2 oxen and a motorcycle.

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S H E KS H A N I PA L L I VILLAGE , An an tap u r

Fruit cultivation has become a prosperous business in Shekshanipalli because of the TPS pumps that draw water from the ground for drip irrigation.

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BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District • Andhra Pradesh

230

Maruthamma, Prasad’s wife, holds up the home front, including taking care of her three daughters, the youngest of whom, Pallavi is just 7 months old. The oldest, Sangeetha, is in 1st standard.

Pullamma is Prasad’s mother. Besides him, she has two daughters, both of whom she and her husband have married into good families since their fortunes began to change.

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The villagers have discovered that drip irrigation systems are more sustainable and much less labour intensive as opposed to the traditional method of flood irrigation, which also requires (and wastes) much more water.

CHASING THE SUN

BLAZING HEAT ON PARCHED EARTH Anantapur District â&#x20AC;˘ Andhra Pradesh

The gentle stream Sustains generations Who have carved their thanks On its very bed; Their prayers of abundance flow Along its greening waters, Forever

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CHASING THE SUN

FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District • Rajasthan

Fiery Sun on the Western Desert 236

RAJASTHAN

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CHASING THE SUN

FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District • Rajasthan

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Rajasthan

CHASING THE SUN

Every tourist who dreams of India is undoubtedly dreaming of the magnificent palaces, the vibrant costumes, the undulating dunes picturesque with camel caravans, and the thick jungles of Rajasthan. This state’s history and visual appeal is matched only by the indomitable spirit of its once warrior-people who are proud of their culture, and brave its hot, dry desert climate, living off the sparse fruits of their land. They are cattle herders and nomadic tradespeople, performers and, of course, farmers. Literally translated as ‘Land of the Kings’, Rajasthan has a chequered past, once ruled by maharajas and warring chieftains. 240

It is a fairly traditional society, and poverty and illiteracy are widespread. Successive governments have made an effort in educational, social and infrastructural ways. For instance, the need for irrigation was initially met by canals and wells, but now more effective methods are being sought out.

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The Brihat Samrat Yantra in Jaipur is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest sundial. It was built by Raja Jai Singh in the 18th century and is said to tell the time accurately up to 2 seconds.

The people of Rajasthan are a hardy lot, facing their travails with warrior-like determination. Besides agriculture, they work at alternative occupations including at brickworks, where they process lakhs of bricks every month, and animal husbandry.

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District • Rajasthan

Harnessing the Sun in Rajasthan

In 2010, Tata Power Solar participated in a government scheme to install 10,000 solar pumps across the state, taking advantage of the many hours of sunlight it receives. This was aimed at reducing the high dependence on the grid and the unreliable monsoon, as well as the intermittent canal water supply. Under this scheme, TPS provided solar pumps to farmers at 86% subsidy. The 14% the farmer has to pay is quickly recovered from the savings on power as well as labour, and the efficiency the solar pumps bring to irrigation. The power supply that most farmers receive from the grid is inconsistent, sometimes available for only 3-4 hours a day. Although accessible, diesel generators don’t make life any easier either – they give off excessive CO2 emissions and cost more. The requirement is 2.5 litres of diesel per hour, and in a day a generator is run for at least 8 hours.

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18,259 Solar Installations/Products Solar pumping systems, Power packs, Home lighting systems

7450 kWh Energy generated per day

J 2,43,11,250 worth of energy generated

The TPS solar pumps were the answer to all of these issues. A one time cost, the solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, which is used to draw water from deep borewells, surface ponds, canals and diggys. TPS solar water pumps have changed the dynamics of irrigation by providing cost effective, efficient and sustainable solutions. The supply is uninterrupted, and the equipment very easy to maintain, with a long life. Tata Power Solar offers maintenance services for 5 years after installation, which is done through the suppliers, making it accessible for the farmers. TPS also provides training for local people for the upkeep of the pumps, and gives them employment by appointing locally trained technicians.

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CHASING THE SUN FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Rajasthan

Jaipur District NAYABAS / KALUKAWAS / RAJAWAS

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The 10th most populous district in India, Jaipurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s denizens are divided roughly equally between its rural and urban areas. The rural population makes a living out of daily wage labour in fields, brickworks, etc., as well as farming. Crops grown include seasonal vegetables like tomatoes, chillies, ladies fingers, cauliflower and peas, as well as mustard and wheat. Like in the rest of the state, electricity is limited and expensive. Often, it flows during late afternoons and evenings, which is inconvenient for agriculture and horticultural practices. The solar pumps from Tata Power Solar and others, subsidized by the government, have brought relief to farmers across the district. Irrigation of their fields is no longer dependent on the vagaries of seasonal rainfall; instead, they can rely on the readily available water drawn from the solar pumps.

When I first visited, I was stunned by the richness of the land, by its lush beauty and exotic architecture, by its ability to overload the senses with the pure, concentrated intensity of its colors, smells, tastes, and sounds. ~ Keith Bellows

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District â&#x20AC;˘ Rajasthan

THE CHOUDHARY FAMILY Nayabas Village Kalyan Singh Choudhary and Gopi Ram Choudhary are brothers, who share their fields and farm them together. The blue TPS panels stand proudly amidst some of their grazing cattle. The contrast between the yield of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fields before and after the installation of the solar pump is significant. The 4 hours of electricity they received earlier was never enough to irrigate the fields adequately; now the pump can be used over a much longer duration.

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N AYA BAS V ILLAG E , Ja i p ur

A 3hp TPS solar water pump set saves approximately 15-20kWh of power every day for the farmers here.

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Kalyan Singhâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 year old son Anil skips through the fields, avoiding the water from the sprinklers. Up to 8th standard, his education is free.

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Saroj, Gopi Ramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, prepares lunch for the whole family. Helping her is her niece Ritu, who is 20 years old and doing her final year BSc. at the government college. An exceptionally talented student, Ritu has won awards and scholarships in both studies and athletics.

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Kalyan Singh inspects his mustard field. Once working in the Border Security Force, he is now retired. He believes that TPS and solar power are real blessings for him and his family.

CHASING THE SUN

FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District • Rajasthan

THE YADAV FAMILY Kalukawas Village Jagannath Yadav has seen many things in his long life, but the Tata Power Solar pumps are a miraculous addition to his farm for him. The half acre of mustard and vegetables has flourished and his power bills have gone down substantially. He knows he is leaving a good legacy for his grandchildren.

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Sundari is Jagannath Yadav’s wife. They have 5 children. Sundari takes care of the buffaloes, and also pitches in on the fields. 3 hp

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The Yadavs’ house is full of laughter and family. Their niece Mausam enjoys a bit of a frolic in the warm afternoon sun.

KA LU KAWAS V ILLAG E , Ja i p ur

The TPS solar pumps have changed the irrigation practices and profit margins of the farmers in Kalulawas village.

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District â&#x20AC;˘ Rajasthan

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The TPS technician installs the AC solar pump, while farmer Nathuram Bhairuram watches intently.

Sundari and her friends pluck mustard leaves for the evening meal, while the electricity pole stands forlorn amongst shiny, bright TPS panels panels which draw water to irrigate the fields through a sprinkler system.

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CHASING THE SUN FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District, Rajasthan

THE DEVANDA FAMILY Rajawas Village

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Ramesh Devandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife tends to the cows and buffaloes they own, while Abhishek, his youngest, displays his pets proudly.

Ramesh Chandra Devanda was one of the first farmers to install a Tata Power Solar pump on his farm. Since then, it has been extremely beneficial to his crops of vegetables and wheat, as un-interrupted electric power is a dream come true. Before he had his pump, the electricity supply would alternate between day and night on successive weeks, which meant working late into the night every other week.

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District â&#x20AC;˘ Rajasthan

Besides farming, Devanda also maintains the trees and water tanks at the government school where his daughter Jyothi studies. Mukesh, the eldest son of the family is married now, and lives in his own house. He runs a mobile phone repair and accessory shop.

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Ramesh Devanda takes immense pride in the fact that with his TPS pump, he is one of the pioneers in the use of solar power in the fields. People have visited him from all around Rajasthan to learn about the Tata Power Solar modules he owns and uses. His next venture is to start drip irrigation, which solar pumps complement beautifully, and which will help save scarce ground water, and better his crops.

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R A JAWAS V ILLAG E , Ja i p ur

The 3hp pumps, at 20 meters, are capable of providing up to 70,000 litres of water per day. When this water is coupled with drip irrigation, it can benefit 25 acres of crops. The pumps also save on diesel by up to 20 litres a day or 15-20kWh a day.

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FIERY SUN ON THE WESTERN DESERT Jaipur District â&#x20AC;˘ Rajasthan

An oasis In a desert land Green prosperity At last The oft-ignored sun Now a saviour For us all.

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The Journey Ahead

Solar power has become a crucial part of the energy dynamics of countries all over the world. In India it has begun, as we saw in the pages earlier, to have a significant impact, especially for those who have no access to power, and have been left untouched by progress. In our 25-year journey, Tata Power Solar has travelled far, touching many lives â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from farmers in Andhra Pradesh to fisher folk in West Bengal, from sheepherders in Kashmir, to shopkeepers in Tamil Nadu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and energizing communities with the munificence of the sun. We have learned much on this journey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a challenging one of building installations and setting up solar plants in remote places that take days on horseback and hours on ferries to reach. We continue on this pioneering path by innovating new technologies and implementing new processes every day. 266

Looking forward, as the market stays unpredictable, the technology ever-evolving, and policies uncertain, the business of enriching lives using the power of the sun continues to show exciting promise. And Tata Power Solar, with 25 years of experience in igniting change, remains perfectly poised to fulfil that promise: transforming lives, making the future brighter for all.

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How Solar Works

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Solar Lighting Whether it is a solar street light, lantern or wall light, a solar lighting system follows the same process.

Battery Bank

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AC Distribution Box

A small solar lighting system is ideally suited for a house of 4 people, lighting 2-4 lamps for up to 4 hours daily. Such a solar home lighting solution can help save approximately Rs 7200 worth of kerosene while saving carbon emissions equivalent of burning approximately 240 litres of kerosene.

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When the sun’s radiation falls on a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel, current is generated.

The current produced from the PV panels is controlled and regulated by an inbuilt/ standalone charge controller/ inverter. The inverter sends the current to charge the battery

When the connected appliances are switched on, the charge controller/inverter also helps regulate the current from the battery, sending it to the output appliance to provide light and energy.

How Solar Works

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Solar Water Heaters Solar thermal water heating systems use the sun’s radiation to heat water — for domestic use, swimming pools and more. A typical direct solar thermal system consists of a collector, pipes and an insulated tank. A typical 100 LPD (litre per day) system is sufficient to provide approximately 100 litres of hot water at an average temperature of 65°C every day on all sunny days. This helps save approximately 4 units of electricity daily (equivalent energy consumed by an electrical geyser) offering cost benefits of approximately Rs 4,000 per year. TPS solar water heaters are available in scalable multiples of 100. Large scale installations, for special applications involving heat transfer can also be engineered.

Cold water inlet

Solar Water Pump A solar water pump has a mini power house at its heart and consists of a calibrated and matching solar array of modules – tuned with the equivalent power of pump for that particular application. The solar water pumping system is capable of running all types of electrical water pumps with applications varying from irrigation to household demands. Irrigation pumps such as submersible, surface or deep well can also be coupled with drip irrigation systems to enhance the returns from this configuration.

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Hot water outlet

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When the sun’s rays fall on a solar water heater collector, made of either an Evacuated Vacuum Tube system (EVT) or Flat Plate Collector system (FPC), the solar radiation heats up the water present in glass tubes (in EVT) / metal tubes (in FPC) due to high transmittance of the covering glass medium.

The heated water, now less dense, rises in the various tubes eventually reaching the tank at the top.

The relatively colder and denser water in the tank descends into the tubes, in turn getting heated — this cycle continues. The Thermosiphon effect ensures the movement of hot water upwards into the tank because of difference in density, eliminating the need for an external pump. The insulated tank ensures that the hot water remains hot for a long time.

Each solar array has a number of solar modules connected in parallel or series. Every solar PV panel generates current by converting solar radiation to electrical energy.

A typical solar water pumping system is known by the sum total of solar array size that is required to run the attached pump. A 1000 Wp solar water pump is capable of drawing and pumping approximately 40,000 litres of water per day from a source that is up to 10 meters deep. This is sufficient to irrigate about 2 acres of land with regular crops. A 1000 Wp solar water pump helps save up to Rs 45,000 when compared to equivalent use of a diesel-operated pump over a year.

The electrical energy from the entire array is controlled, tuned and directed by the inbuilt controller in DC pumps or through the Variable Frequency Driver(VFD) and enables the connected pump (may be submersible or surface) to draw water and feed the delivery pipelines.

The water thus drawn from ponds, rivers, bore wells or other sources by a solar water pump is pumped to supply water as required. It can be stored in tanks from where it is later channelled to fields or the supply from the pump may be coupled with drip irrigation systems to provide optimised water to fields directly.

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How Solar Works

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Solar Micro Grid Villages can now have access to electricity by investing in their own microgrid power plant. The size of a solar microgrid depends upon the number of solar panels and wattage comprising the solar array. The requirement and size of a microgrid is calculated by adding the power needs of individual homes in the village that will be connected together.

Solar Power Pack Today households need continuous and regular access to power for various needs. Solar power packs are designed to provide electricity in homes with intermittent or no grid electricity. The power packs being modular in construction can be customised to generate and provide solutions for individual needs. Solar power packs can begin at about 100 watts, going up to a few kilowatts. A typical 4-person semi urban/ urban home can have a good mix of solar power and grid power balance by choosing to install a 1 KW solar power pack. A 1 KW power pack can help save Rs 8,250 per year (compared to using grid electricity). When used as power backup in grid-constrained locations, it saves fuel costs of up to Rs 56,000 per year compared to the equivalent use of a 1 KVA gasoline generator.

1 PV Panel

Battery Bank

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Inverter + Battery Bank

A typical solar microgrid can range from 1 KW to several megawatts. A typical rural house requires approximately 2 units of electricity and so, for a village of 100 homes, a 4 KW microgrid is sufficient. A 4 KW plant helps generate electricity worth Rs 33,000 per year.

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A power pack is composed of a set of solar PV panels connected together to generate electricity by converting solar radiation into electrical energy.

The electrical energy generated from the array of panels is transmitted to the household load or battery bank storage through a controller or smart inverter. The inverter is a seamless connection between grid, solar array, house load and the battery bank. It constantly interacts with these 4 inputs to always utilise solar energy to the maximum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; choosing to utilise it against the load first and directing excess generation to storage in the batteries, reserved for use when solar power is not there.

The battery bank stores energy that cannot be utilised directly by the load â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to be used when requirement of load is more than what the solar PV is providing at a particular time or when solar energy is not available, thus reducing the consumption of power from grid and saving on electricity bill.

Every solar PV panel connected in the array generates electricity by converting solar radiation into electrical energy. All PV panels are connected in a particular order of parallel and series combinations to provide the required voltage. The electricity generated from the array of panels is transmitted to a central controller called the Power Conditioning Unit (PCU), which is, in simple terms, a large power inverter. The PCU is connected to the Distribution Box (DB) on one hand and the battery bank on the other.Â

The PCU controls, regulates and directs the electrical energy transmitted from the array, and supplies electricity directly to homes, shops, offices, street lights etc.

During the day if the power generated is not used or surplus power is generated, the PCU directs this to the battery bank which stores power. This power can then be used at night (after the sun sets). The microgrid and battery bank are connected to a computer for local power usage monitoring. With the addition of a modem, this information can be accessed from a remote location, eliminating the need for local manpower to monitor the system.

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Like sunflowers The sun Bewitches us ... We cannot look away We whirl and swoop In tune With its warm Song.

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Tata Power Solar (TPS), a 100% Tata-owned company, is India’s largest integrated solar power company. TPS is committed to enabling solar power everywhere and bringing the power of the sun to people in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.

Clare Arni was born in the United Kingdom and has spent most of her life living in Bangalore, travelling and photographing places as an architectural and documentary photographer.

Trapeze is a unique multi-disciplinary design consultancy started in 2005 by Sarita Sundar and Ram Sinam, designers with over 40 years of collective experience between them. Trapeze’s practice goes beyond the confines of a traditional brief – in addition to their role as designers, they engage in extensive research before and during a project, often directing and curating the content that they work with.

Her solo photographic books document, Banaras, The Palaces of the Deccan, Hampi, Coastal Karnataka and a four month journey along the course of the river Kaveri. Her work has been exhibited Internationally at the Essl Museum, Vienna Austria, Grosvenor Vadehra, London, Bose Pacia, New York, Berkeley art museum, California and is in the permanent collection of the Saatchi Gallery, London, the Freer/Sackler gallery of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington and Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Their work ranges from an exhibition on 16th century documents about Malabar herbal wealth for an institute of biology, installations for a leading paint company and packaging for FMCG products, to brand identities and communication strategies for various corporate houses.

Her recent assignment with Tata Power Solar, documenting their accomplishments and endeavours over 25 years, took her to remote corners of India on a photographic journey, capturing visuals and documenting the extraordinary lives of these people and how they are being improved by solar power.

Trapeze has designed and executed several books, which cover a variety of subjects ranging from eye health delivery in rural areas, education and support for underprivileged urban children, a biography of Homi J Bhabha, landmarks in the history of sustainability, and in progress, a book on the Indian typewriter.