2011 International Conference on Alternative Energy in Developing Countries and Emerging Economies
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Rocks covered on the surface of India ranging in age
from more than 4500 million years to the present day
and distributed in different geographical units. The
rocks comprise of Archean, Proterozoic, the marine
and continental Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Teritary,
Quaternary etc., More than 300 hot spring locations
have been identified by Geological survey of India
(Thussu, 2000). The surface temperature of the hot
springs ranges from 35 C to as much as 98 C. These
hot springs have been grouped together and termed as
different geothermal provinces based on their
occurrence in specific geotectonic regions, geological
and structural regions such as occurrence in orogenic
belt regions, structural grabens, deep fault zones, active
volcanic regions etc., Different orogenic regions are –
Himalayan
geothermal
province,
Naga-Lushai
geothermal province, Andaman-Nicobar Islands
geothermal province and non-orogenic regions are –
Cambay graben, Son-Narmada-Tapi graben, west
coast, Damodar valley, Mahanadi valley, Godavari
valley etc.
The United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development has called for access to affordable and
reliable energy as a requirement for halving poverty by
2015. Rural and remote communities in the developing
world are often blessed with abundant natural
resources, which can be harnessed using suitable
Decentralized renewable energy devices such as PV
arrays, wind turbines and micro hydro systems, without
having to consider the standard investment in the
development
of
extensive
electrical
grids.
Decentralized solar energy projects, not requiring
interconnections indeed appear to be promising in the
above context and it is argued by some to be
achievable, especially if coupled with significant
demand reduction and a lower storage capacity than is
currently available on most developed country grids
(Cohen, 2008).
In developing countries, small-scale renewable
energy projects such as micro hydro-power, biomass
and solar PV have been successful in providing
electricity, heat, motive power and energy for pumping
water for millions of poor communities in remotest
regions of the world. Developing countries have more
than 40% of existing RE capacity including 70% of
solar hot water capacity and 45% of biofuel
production. Renewable energy has provided the much
needed break for many poor communities in terms of
economic development in agriculture, small industry,
homes, schools, and community needs. It is estimated
that currently 25 million house-holds cook and light
their homes with biogas and 2.5 million house-holds
use solar lighting systems (REN21, 2008).
Improved access to clean modern energy in
developing countries is a fundamental step to poverty
reduction, and a key to attaining the UN Millennium
Development Goals. on renewable energy policy
measures and incentives needed to steer a RE transition
in the developing world and emphasis that, it is in the
direct global interest that the RE transition be
immediate, rapid and orderly which requires
shouldering the responsibility of national policies and
international cooperation.
One of the reasons for the limited success could be
that a technology push approach has been commonly
used. Here a particular technological solution has been
often thrust on the users, without taking into account
their needs, the available resources within that area to
meet the needs, as well as providing solutions that
caused minimal disturbance/adaptation needs to the
end users (Kopi, 2005; AusAid, 2001). Added to this
problem is the fact the people in rural areas in
developing countries are usually poor and cannot
afford the costs associated with high capital RE
technologies such as PV systems, thereby making such
solutions unsustainable without economic development
preceding energy access (UNDP, 2006). A cynical
observer might suggest that the developed countries
may not wish to advance the developing countries as, if
and when they do develop, they will only compete for
scarce energy and other resources (as is happening
currently in India and China).
The UNDP through implementation of various
developmental projects globally has observed that
community-based energy initiatives offer an important
mechanism for expanding access to energy services
that aim to improve human development and achieve
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) at both the
local and national levels. The case studies from various
projects in developing countries demonstrate that
MDGs can be confined to a small area through a
