Tuesday, February 18, 2014: The southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India, houses many remote regions that suffer from deficient power supply and weak fresh water access. Despite being connected to power grids, many villages lack electricity, with a limited 5-6 hours a day. In the changing times, now, the new solar technology is introduced in the state’s schools, by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency.
ITDA is a government organisation that is set up to improve the welfare of remote communities. The agency is installing solar photovoltaic mini-plants, which will store electricity as back-up power system, in 59 schools across the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. In a first by the state, this investments is marked worthwhile, as it will allow students to sit late in schools to study in proper light.
India is keen to wrap renewable energy and thus, the government is giving a subsidy of 30 per cent to Off-grid solar sources. The subsidy is likely to rise to 70 per cent for marginalised communities. The initial cost of set-up of solar plants is still very high, so many poor states have to depend on the investment of non-governmental organisations or agencies for such capital requirements.
The ITDA is further providing each of the 59 schools in Andhra Pradesh, with solar-run water pumps to compensate students with problems of drinking water availability, as many areas still depend on ancient manual water fetching from ponds or wells.
The government hopes that the subsidies in renewable energy, especially for remote regions, will provide proper incentives leading to increase in the use of solar technology. This will not only serve to encourage education and living standards, but also herald a greater focus on clean energy and environmental conservation.
