A geospatial assessment of the techno-economic wind power potential in India using geographical restrictions

India is a privileged country in terms of wind resource regime. However, most of it remains untapped at the same time as ca 240 million people lack access to electricity in the country (19% of the total population). This calls for a thorough estimation of the amount of wind energy that could be technically and economically seized to assess the potential penetration of wind power into the country’s energy system. The utilization of wind energy is associated with a plethora of localization criteria and thus it should be systematically addressed by spatial assessments to guarantee its harmonization with socio-economic systems, infrastructure and ecosystems. This study focuses on onshore wind power and strives to provide with estimates of techno economic potential based on state of the art wind power technology. Socio-economic, geographical and technical criteria regarding the localization of wind farms are outlined and implemented through a detailed a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis. The levelized cost of wind generated electricity is then calculated geospatially. According to this assessment there are several states that signify high yearly wind energy yield, such as Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, whilst Goa and other states indicate the least or negligible wind power potential. The levelized cost of generating electricity ranges between 57 and 100 USD/MWh, which places wind power in a competitive position in the Indian electricity market.     

Energy poverty and perceptions of solar power in marginalized communities: Survey evidence from Uttar Pradesh,India

The decreased cost of solar electricity generation has given a boost to rural energy markets, but most off-grid businesses remain small. A larger customer base is a precondition for business expansion and access to finance. This article reports findings from a large survey focused on energy access in unelectrified habitations in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, India. While most villagers are dissatisfied with their kerosene lighting and the median monthly expense for this fuel is 100 rupees (USD ∼ 1.66), the data analysis also indicates that there is little trust in local companies and a large number of villagers prefer government leadership in electricity supply. These findings suggest that solar entrepreneurs must do more to demonstrate the quality of their products and services to villagers to expand their customer base.     

Diffusion of innovation model of consumer behaviour - Ideas to accelerate adoption of renewable energy sources by consumer communities in India

Renewable Energy (RE) sources form a minuscule portion of India’s overall Energy consumption today. India continues to rely on fast depleting fossil fuel and expensive Oil imports to satisfy the energy demands of the economy. But this is hardly sustainable and India has to quickly get RE sources to play a major role in servicing the energy needs of its population. Despite the best efforts the adoption of RE sources by consumer communities in India is patchy. This article will focus on what needs to be done to create a pull from the market for RE sources, by looking at Consumer Behaviour literature available in the area of Diffusion of Innovation[1]. Demand for RE sources from consumer communities must reach a tipping point[4] quickly; for the sector to take-off on its own and become a self-sustaining business.     

Electoral cycles in electricity losses in India

A third of electricity in India is lost each year, where losses refer to power that is supplied but not billed. Utilizing data from the power corporation of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, we study the politics of electricity losses. Examining annual data over four decades, we document that UP's electricity losses tend to increase in periods immediately prior to state assembly elections. Drawing upon geographically disaggregated data for the period 2000–09, we observe higher line losses just prior to the 2002 and 2007 state elections. Our analysis shows that the incumbent party was more likely to retain the assembly seat as line losses in the locality increased. We interpret these results as corroboration that political parties deliberately redirect electricity to flat rate and unbilled users in a context of chronically inadequate supply. Political factors appear to affect line losses in ways that technical and economic factors alone cannot explain.     

In the Hands of the People: Harnessing the Collective Power of Village Life in India

Top-down attempts by governments and charities to rebuild rural communities after natural disasters, or to rehabilitate slums, can leave communities feeling fractured. The Hunnarshala Foundation instead focuses on re-establishing social capital, providing funding and professional support for residents so that they can work together to improve their lot. This also reinforces the value of traditional artisans' knowledge in solving modern problems. Hunnarshala's Executive Vice Chairman Sandeep Virmani explains.     

THE NATURE AND ORIGIN OF AUTHIGENIC CHLORITE AND RELATED CEMENTS IN OLIGO–MIOCENE RESERVOIR SANDSTONES,TAPTI GAS FIELDS,SURAT DEPRESSION,OFFSHORE WESTERN INDIA

Reservoir sandstones in the Mid‐ and South Tapti gas fields in the Surat Depression (Mumbai Offshore Basin, western India) have been investigated using a range of petrographic techniques, isotope geochemistry and basin modelling. Authigenic chlorite is abundant in the shallow‐marine sandstones of the Miocene Mahim Formation, a major reservoir rock in the Mid‐ and South Tapti fields, which are described here in terms of their quality and diagenetic characteristics. The sandstones are currently at burial depths of between ～1500 and 2800m. The authigenic chlorite has had a significant impact on the resulting reservoir quality of the sandstones and is interpreted to have originated as odinite clay of the verdine facies that replaced faecal or pseudo‐faecal pellets, together with volumetrically small but abundant grain coatings and grain rims, and formed at the site of major riverine iron influx onto the shallow‐marine shelf during periods of relatively low sea level. Pellets have been variably compacted to form pseudomatrix. Reservoir sandstones from similar depositional settings on the west coast of India or other sub‐tropical settings are likely to exhibit comparable diagenetic effects on reservoir quality. Compositionally, the chlorite is the iron‐rich form known as chamosite. The chemistry of all the chlorite morphologies is the same in all studied samples. Oxygen isotope analyses of carbonate cements in the Mahim Formation sandstones have provided an approximate temperature framework for diagenesis of the non‐carbonate cements. Oxygen isotope results for the chlorite, however, suggest much higher temperatures than its position in the paragenetic sequence would warrant. These results suggest that the clay formed first as 1:1 layer clays, in this case odinite, which were then transformed to Fe‐chlorite as burial depths and temperatures increased. Reservoirs in the Mahim, Daman and Mahuva Formation sandstones are thus greatly influenced by the diagenesis of authigenic chlorite and locally by the precipitation of carbonate cements. Reservoir quality is good where thick, continuous chlorite rim cements are present and where chlorite pellets are sufficiently indurated for them not to be compacted. Chlorite rim cements have reduced the extent of quartz overgrowth cementation in the sandstones.     

The significance of the sword

Human aggression affects and is affected by the environment. The study of militaria can illuminate questions of social change and choice. Knowledge of history should modify behaviour.     

The basalt stone quarries of eastern India

Quarrying of basalt stone in the Early Cretaceous Rajmahal Trap region of eastern India is increasing at an alarming pace. The quarries have created an extensive ugly landscape of pits and overburden dumps. The stone workshops continuously emit dust. These quarries generate year‐round employment in an impoverished terrain. The workforce mostly comprises the socio‐economically deprived indigenous tribal population. They are an important source of income to the State Governments of Jharkhand and West Bengal. While the need for building stone cannot be denied in a region that is rapidly industrialising and urbanising, issues of land degradation and health cannot be ignored. The paper offers measures to contain environmental degradation and generate alternative sources of income with bio‐fuel crops such as Jatropha curcas.