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Women & Renewable Energy The whole world is concerned about global warming and climate change which could be contained by the use of renewable energy. We would be talking here about the technology and their importance for women, how they could help in mitigating global warming. Also how they can use them not only to reduce drudgery but also to earn steady income through the use of bio‐gas, solar devices, improved chulhas etc. Also where and how they could procure the devices and approx cost of them. As early as 2005, the world population overshot the capacity of the planet according to Media reports. If everybody lived like the population of US, we will need 4 planets! Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, geothermal heat etc. These sources are renewable and naturally replenished. Way back in 80’s the first world conference on Environment held at Nairobi was attended by the only head of state Late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. On her return realizing the importance of the use of Renewal energy, the renewable energy programs were pushed through a Dept of the Ministry of Power, which later on became a full‐ fledged Ministry at the Central level exclusively for the propagation and use of renewable energy throughout the country, first as MNES (Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources) and presently MNRE (Ministry of new and renewable energy). India is the only country to have a Ministry dedicated to RETS at the Central level. Renewable energy is critical to our fight against climate change. Experts agree that we need a substantial reduction in Co2 over the next 40 to 50 years and this means we need renewable energy to replace fossil fuel now. Climate change ‐‐ Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. It can be a change in the average weather or a change in the distribution of weather events around an average (for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the whole Earth. Global Warming‐‐ It is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near‐surface air and oceans since the mid‐20th century and its projected continuation. Most of the observed temperature increase since the middle of the 20th century has been caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases, which result from human activity such as the burning of fossil fuel and deforestation. Women can save the environment and earn money for themselves and can earn carbon credit for the country. One Carbon credit is equal to one ton of carbon dioxide avoided. Even small plants like bio‐gas or improved Chullas could be “bundled” and the organization could get carbon credit through registering with U.N. Significantly decentralised RETS can complement and benefit from the goal of increasing women’s role in development. As India celebrates the 63 years of Independence a third of our population lives without electricity and an additional one third face power cuts. According to the findings at the World Renewable Energy Congress (at Florence Italy), Women are the group most affected by energy scarcity and related environmental degradation, economically in times spent on subsistence activities and in negative health impacts. Renewables hold great potential for improved quality of life for women because they ease the time and human energy needed to meet daily needs while helping to improve indoor air quality. Women’s role in energy is so important that we need women to be involved in energy decision making. Renewables must be applied in a culturally sensitive manner and in such a way to actually meet women’s need. The nature of Indian society and its reaction to RETS , are Women really interested in RETS? Women often participate in energy intensive micro enterprises on seasonal or part time basis and as an extension of their households, but women’s work in these industries is none the less a critical source of income to their households, especially during economic crisis and during slack periods in the farming cycle when cash is in short supply. People generally have a notion that renewable energy is very expensive. The fact is that prices of various RETS devices are coming down and when you take the social cost in to account, it is imperative to take these programs seriously. Even technologies aimed specifically at reducing women’s drudgery, have often not had the desired effect because women lag other resources needed to benefit from these technologies such as credit or because intervention did not take account of the realities of the cultural or economic environment. There is a stereo type that women are not technologists and that they are not capable (even when provided with appropriate support) of building, operating and maintaining sophisticated technologies. While women do experience a number of constraints in their involvement of technology. The reality is that women’s role in technology has been largely overlooked. First, women’s indigenous technology innovations, often highly sophisticated, have not been considered as real “science”. Evidence shows that supporting women’s own innovation abilities could be a rich source of improving renewable energy technologies, while at the same time increasing women’s own capabilities and confidence. This mindset has to be changed and potential of women is to be taken in to consideration. The programs need to be prepared accordingly. Current status in the field of Renewable energy in India. As energy consumers and beneficiaries, women have contributed to design of household’s energy technologies and projects. Improved stoves programmes have been more effective and produced more benefit when they have obtained women input to produce the same and have targeted marketing and credit to women and men as appropriate. Some solar cooker projects and solar PV projects are already making use of similar approaches. As micro entrepreneurs, women have used renewable energy to increase profits and efficiency in their informal sector enterprises and have proven themselves capable of operating and also constructing renewable energy technologies on their own, when provided with appropriate training and support. Women may be effective renewable energy entrepreneur, due to their experience as users of energy in households and their own enterprises; in some countries including India, women are already marketing solar home systems successfully. As extension workers and caretakers, women have been effective in operation and maintenance roles of biogas, hydro electric and solar installations. As leaders, networkers and lobbyist women have successfully influenced energy policy decisions at the local, national and international levels. Women do not necessarily help to build, operate or maintain renewable energy installations alone, more important is that women have a role in determining the use and benefits of the projects and in managing these arrangements and they receive and control benefits. How and why Renewable Energy is Important for Women? It is the women who suffer the most because of lack of energy. Women already have a track record of functioning as effective entrepreneurs There are many visibly successful organizations and networks like Gramin Shakti, SEWA, TIDE ,AIWC & SELCO) apart from a large no of organizations in south Asia, Africa etc. The challenge is to involve more women and transform them into energy entrepreneurs. The Gramin bank which provides small credits to women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh who are already marketing PV systems and operate cell phone through solar energy. Credit is an especially critical constraint for women, whether as housewives or as entrepreneurs. Most banks require that borrowers be wage earners or property owners with acceptable collateral, condition that women often cannot meet. Limited education, complicated loan procedure and long distances to the nearest bank further constraints women’s access to credit. Lack of access to credit, is thus, a major constraint on women’s purchase of renewable energy technologies. The rural energy department of All India Women’s Conference (AIWC), INSEDA, INFORSE (International Network For Sustainable Energy) all are striving to bring women and energy into the main stream. Another very active International Women’s Network–ENERGIA and its Indian focal point IRADE are continuously doing the advocacy at the national, regional, global and at the U.N successfully. The various domestic technologies available in India which directly benefit Women, amongst others are 1. Improved Cook Stoves 2. Biogas 3. Solar thermal devices: Box type solar cookers, parabolic cookers and solar storage cookers. And Solar water heater and Purifier 4. Vermi Composting and nursery raising using biogas slurry, 5. Solar PV systems‐ Solar lanterns, charging station, Homelight systems etc. Improved Cook Stove(Chulha) –
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.6 million people — mostly women
and children, who are exposed to smoke from open fire die annually from indoor air
pollution; India alone accounts for 25 percent of such deaths.
Improved cook stoves are designed to be more fuel efficient and reduce the health
problems associated with traditional cooking fires. In fact, Govt of India started this
program in a big way all over the country in eighties as ‘program for women by
women’. Due to various reasons like trying to impose uniform solutions across the
country, without involvement of rural women in training and making choice – the
program did not have desired impact. In fact, All India Women’s Conference had
implemented the National Program of Improved Chullahs (NPIC) after being
identified as a nodal agency. More than one lakh improved chulhas were
constructed through 1000 women who were trained to be the self employed
women. AIWC’s Andhra Pradesh Branch Guntur Mahila Samajam is implementing
this program till today in tribal areas. Those women who understood the
importance are still using these stoves. SEWA (self employed women association)
has implemented improved stoves program to large no. of women through micro
credit. Depending on the models and size, price varies from Rs. 250 to 1000/=.
BIOGAS
Biogas is a methane rich flammable gas that results from the decomposition of organic
waste material. This is of great use for the farmers.
Women can use bio-gas not only for cooking and lighting but can have regular income
by vermi-composting of bio-gas slurry. This slurry is good manure for their kitchen
gardens and farms. Bio-gas is also reducing the drudgery of collecting fuel apart from
providing a clean kitchen.
BIOGAS COMES FROM—
1. Vegetation - When vegetation decomposes, it gives off methane gas.
2. Farm and ranch animals - cattle, chickens, pigs produce manure. When manure
decomposes, it also gives off methane gas.
3. Sewage – The treatment of human waste in anaerobic digesters produces
methane.
4. Landfills -- Garbage produces methane as it decomposes.
There are two models -- floating and fixed type–which are being propagated in
India. Of these Deenbandhu model was popular with people and there are various
variations of this model such as biogas model re-inforced with Bamboo.
An important innovation for the construction of bio gas plants, using bamboo reinforced cement
mortar (BMRC) of 2 cubic meter (2 m3) capacity had already been experimented and field tested
jointly by WAFD (Women’s Action For Development) and INSEDA (Integrated Sustainable Energy
and Ecological Development Association). The use of bamboo baskets had brought down the price
of this biogas plant “Grameen Bandhu” (meaning friend of the rural people) so that it was at least
15% cheaper as compared to the existing most popular fixed dome plant, the “Deenbandhu
model”, while also ensuring the participation of women in the weaving of bamboo structures for
constructing this model.
The women of Nagla Banjara now weave the bamboo baskets and other woven bamboo structures
and earn a small amount of Rs.1000/-per woman.
The Haryana Govt. provides subsidy for all the RETS systems which is helping in greater
popularization.
Solar Energy ‐‐ Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic The oldest source of energy to be used on earth! Even today, this is used to dry tons of material –
mostly in rural areas. India is a tropical country and has many sunny days. According to
estimates, 35 MW of power could be generated from 1 sq km. With such potential, solar is going
to be the future. The startup cost is the biggest limitation which has led to the low realization of
the potential it has. For solar energy to become one of the front runners, it will require lot of
research, cheap technology and low capital.
i) There are various technologies coming up around the world, which could be up scaled or
replicated to use solar energy. Cooking, lighting, water heating and open air drying
applications are common now-a-days, using solar energy. There are other applications
like solar vehicles, desalination, agriculture, etc. which are coming up. It will take
time to catch up because of the high cost involved in it. The two main methods of
converting solar energy in to power are:
i) Photovoltaic cells
ii) Concentrated solar power and any operating fluid.
Harish Hande – the Managing Director of Selco Solar – a social enterprise in India, which promotes the new energy technology says that the important thing is not so much to deliver energy to the poor but to provide new ways to generate income. His firm has developed a solar powered sewing machine which is being used by large number of women. Selco Solar has recently started a incubation lab in rural Karnataka to bring together local customers and engineering interns from MIT, Stanford and Imperial College London. The lab is currently piloting a hybrid banana dryer that runs on biomass during wet spells an sunlight on dry days to make packets of dry banana. This will give big opportunity for rural women to be engaged in different stages of production. The farmers no longer have to rely on selling crop immediately but turn them in to value‐
added products providing the much needed income to them. All India Women Conference recently started two pilot projects in resettlement colonies in Delhi wherein women are provided Solar lanterns and charging stations have been established. Women bring their lanterns in daytime and get them charged. In the evening they rent them to street vendors and those houses which do not have electricity or face long hours of power cut. This way they not only save money on kerosene but also generate income for themselves and also help in saving environment. Similarly, Solar powered water purifier has been installed which is run by women and the good potable water is sold to the locality at very nominal rates. This generates income and also takes care of community health. At their Om Shanti Retreat Centre, Brahmakumaris use concentrated parabolic solar cookers in the kitchen where food is cooked for 1000 persons daily. They also run 200 KW solar powered plant which takes care of their lighting requirement during daytime. These are mainly managed by women. Solar air dryers offer an alternative with zero‐energy cost and processes fruits and condiments in clean and hygienic environment. Thus it produces value‐added products for national and international markets. The SDM‐50 solar drier developed by an NGO (SEED) from Hyderabad was selected after empirical study. These two action research projects were implemented through the branches of AIWC at kerala, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. The other project was implemented jointly by AIWC and CRT (Centre for Rural Technologies) Nepal. It was successfully proved that using this solar dryer diligently, poor women could earn decent income. This also stops wastage of the produce which are abundant in the season and without proper marketing facilities. The bare foot engineers from TILLONIA Women’s group not only install, maintain and repair but also manufacture parabolic solar cookers with confidence. At Bahai women’s group from Madhya Pradesh women are manufacturing and selling solar cookers. Awareness creation on the various Renewable energy technologies is of paramount importance. MNRE is providing funding for NGO’s and other organization for conducting solar energy fairs all over the country, which aims at bringing the manufacturers ,users and technical people together, in short a One Stop Shop where ordinary citizens could buy or place their orders. MNRE is giving subsidies on various solar technologies but most of the states don’t give enough importance to this issue which is a drawback. NGO’s and RWA’s have to be more proactive and should try to popularize it through various means. WBREDA (West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency) is about to complete the project of supplying electricity to more than 20 villages in Sunderbans which is generated from rice husk. The local women are eagerly waiting the day when it starts. The technology should be made easier to obtain and also necessary credit facilities should be provided by banks without too much of hassle. More boys and girls should be trained for installation, operation, maintenance and trouble shooting of all the RET’s equipments, which is badly lacking now. AIWC is working in this field. Bio‐fuel
Women can generate income through growing seedlings for bio-fuel plants. India has more than
50 million Hectares of wasteland, which could be utilized for cultivating plants. Jatropha, Algae
are some of the options for producing bio-fuels. It is a kind of plant which can come up on arid
land.
Biomass dryer
TIDE (Technology Informatics design Endeavour) has been successful in creating women’s enterprises using biomass dryers which are being run in the states of Kerala and Karnataka for
drying fish and prawn in Kerala and drying coconuts, areca, vegetables in Karnataka.
This program has earned profits by selling and wages for women who work there.
Biomass dryers use biomass to produce heat and are useful in places where biomass is available in plenty.
Future in Renewables and the suggested Road map. Experts have come up with bottom‐up way instead of waiting for top‐down solutions to improve the plight of the poor. There is no need to wait for politicians or utilities to act. The technology in question, from solar panels to low energy Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are rapidly falling in price. Local, bottom up systems may be more sustainable, women friendly, and produce fewer carbon emissions than centralized systems. The developing world has an opportunity to leap frog the centralized model just as it did in case of fixed line telecoms and went straight to mobile phones which thousands of women use for income generation. Prices of solar cells have also fallen, so that the cost per KW is half to what it was a decade ago. Solar cells can be used to power low cost LEDs which are both energy efficient and cheap. The cost of a set of LEDs to light a home has also fallen by half in past decade and is now below Rs. 1000. This could eliminate kerosene lighting in next 10 years the way cell phones took off in about 13 years. This will greatly eliminate the indoor pollution caused by kerosene lighting which affects mostly women and Children. As per Economist magazine ‐‐ there are many successful models “the telephone lady” scheme pioneered in Bangladesh a few years ago. In which women use micro‐credit to buy mobile phones (which were charged mostly by solar panels) and sell access by the call to other villages. Mr. Iqbal Quadir, the founder of emergence bio‐energy and director of Legatum Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship at Messachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) helped establish Gramin phone‐the largest mobile operator in Bangladesh widely used by poor women, hopes to repeat its success in energy. The government of India recently announced possibly the World’s biggest plan to replace the polluting chullas used in 135‐140 Million rural homes with cleaner cooking stoves. This will be a major health and energy initiative, which will not only help Women to have a better quality of life but also bring climate change benefits. Another NGO –Small Sustainable Infrastructure Development Fund is providing very affordable Solar LED lanterns (costing under Rs 900 along with the panel) through self help groups through a business model which is getting to be popular with rural women. These programmes should be taken on a mission basis so that we can leave a better world for the children of the future. Any women group or RWA or NGO interested in working in poverty elevation through RETS can contact Vigyan Prasar or All India Women’s Conference. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐By Mrs. Lalita Balakrishnan, Rural Energy Department AIWC ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐