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2014-15

Binay Soreng

Young Professional-GBO & Block Project

Manager-Khajauli,Madhubani

BRLPS-TERI IDES Report-Khajauli

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Report on Integrated Domestic Energy System (IDES) implementation in Khajauli block,Madhubani:-

Background: Rural areas of India face a serious energy deficit. A large majority of India is still dependent on biomass energy for cooking and lighting because electricity for lighting and modern commercial cooking fuels are too expensive or lack reach in the remote rural areas. At night villages of rural areas are engulfed in darkness and many of the rural households have to be dependent on kerosene lanterns, dibris and generator powered electric supply for lighting. Traditional biomass mud cook stoves have been in use since decades in India. While these are inexpensive and can be customized in rural homes these are inefficient and highly polluting. Improved cook stoves can address these issues and significantly improve prospects by fuel wood reduction, health improvements and opportunities for better lives and livelihoods.

General Scenario of lighting and mobile charging in rural household of Khajauli: Rural household in Khajauli is heavily dependent on diesel powered generator power supply. A part of a cluster is completely out of grid supply and some of which who are in grid supply area, faces frequent power cuts, transformer breakdown which causes power cut for days. Hence many of the rural household have to rely on kerosene lanterns and debris. Amount of money spent per rural household per month is as follows-

Kerosene oil bought from PDS = 2.5 Litre Cost of kerosene oil per litre = Rs. 17/litre Expenditure on kerosene = 17 * 2.5 = Rs.42.50

(Note-> Atleast 2 litre of kerosene is bought from open market @ Rs. 40 as 2.5 litres obtained from PDS is not enough. Above information is obtained from Household Surveys and general discussion in SHGs and VOs meetings)

Hence total expenditure per month= 42.50 + 40 * 2= Rs.122.50/- Note: A mobile is charged atleast 10 times in a month @ Rs.5/charge (where even

generator facility is not available, Above information is obtained from Household Surveys and general discussion in SHGs and VOs meetings) Assumption: A household have atleast a mobile

Minimum expenditure on mobile charging = 10 * Rs.5= Rs. 50 Total expenditure = 122.50 + 50 = Rs. 172.50 Hence around or atleast Rs.122.50-172.50 is spent by rural households for lighting

and mobile charging purpose per month Some households with grid connectivity on an average have received bills of

Rs.12000 due to they receiving bills after 4-5 years. Basically grid connectivity is also an additional cost to the household as generator light connection is a must due to irregular power supply.

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General Scenario of cooking in rural household of Khajauli: Many of the rural household are dependent on traditional mud cookstove and biomass locally available for cooking.

20 minutes to 1 hr per day is spent for collection of fuel wood by a rural women on an average (Above information is obtained from Household Surveys and general discussion in SHGs and VOs meetings)

Where it is purchased Fuel wood cost is 4-5/- per kg, bringing the expenses up to (1.5 kg*Rs.5*30 days)≈ 225/- a month. Around 1-1.5kg of Fuel wood is consumed with locally made dung cake (Kanda)

Dwindling fuel wood resources Extensive use of cow dung as fuel which otherwise can be used as rich manure Use of inefficient and polluting stoves Indoor Air Pollution – health problems like respiratory illness due to smoke inhalation

are prevalent among women and children

Pilot of IDES in Khajauli: Looking at the scenario of lighting and cooking it was decided that BRLPS-TERI IDES project be implemented in Khajauli. The details of the system provided are as follows-

Solar panel (20 Wp, 12V ) Solar Battery – 15 Ah, 12 V with 3 years warranty Luminaries (2 luminaries of 2.4 W each) Charge controller with Mobile charging option Wires Mud stove Wire, fan for improved cook stoves

Current cost of IDES after subsidy is Rs.3650/-

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Mode of Payment:

Till now 450 IDES system has been installed successfully in Khajauli block and demand for more 1000 system has been collected through micro-planning in SHGs.

After Sales Service: In any Solar intervention project after sales service remains a major concern. TERI has hired local youths who have got training in JEEViKA skill development centre as technicians. These technicians are involved in installation of IDES, user training and then providing after sales service to IDES beneficiaries. A Do’s and Don’t pamphlet is provided to each and every household.

Micro planning done in SHG and advance amount of Rs.1150/- collected from per HH. Installment of

Rs.500/month for 5 months(loan:Rs.2500/-) after installation of IDES

Demand and the advance amount collected in VO and then sent to CLF

Demand and the advance amount collected in CLF and the requisition for loan amount sent to BPIU

Requisition for loan is sent to DPCU from BPIU

Energy Security Credits comes to CLF/VO from DPCU

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Figure 3:Do's & Don't for using IDES with customer care number

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A local customer care number (8676999441) is available in the Do’s and Don’t pamphlet on which an IDES beneficiary can call to register their complain. The complain is noted and Local Master technician of TERI is informed about it. Local Master Technician then delegate the complain to technicians available in panchayats to sort out the problem. A local JEEViKA Urja Shop is also available in which all the IDES products are available. If the product is within warranty period then the damaged product is tried to be repaired. If reparing is not possible then it is exchanged with a new one. If the damaged product is outside the warranty period then the cost of the product will be borne by the beneficiary.

JEEViKA Uttam Urja Shop: Looking at the demand for the IDES from non-SHG members and to provide quick after sales product delivery a JEEViKA Uttam Urja Shop was opened in Khajauli block supported by TERI and some investment done by JEEViKA SHG members,the names of whom are as follows-

SL.No. Name VO SHG 1. Anita Devi Kamal Narad 2. Ramwati Devi Unnati Rukmani 3. Deviki Devi Bharti Pooja

Vision of JEEViKA Uttam Urja Shop: To reduce the power scarcity and provide clean cooking in Madhubani with IDES

Mission of JEEViKA Uttam Urja Shop: To install 2000 IDES in Khajauli block in 1st year To install 2000 IDES each in Benipatti,Rajnagar,Pandual,Jaynagar block

Function of JEEViKA Uttam Urja Shop: To work as Energy Enterprise and act as a channel between TERI and JEEViKA To sell the Solar Products other than IDES (ex:Larger Solar module, Solar Home

Lighting System with fan etc) Act as an exchange point to replace the faulty/damaged products (if within

Warranty period) To make moulds of IDES as income generation activity for the Energy Enterprise

other than the selling of the products

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Figure 1:SHG member as Energy Enterprise

Figure 2: SHG members making Chulla Cement Mould

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Current Scenario of lighting and mobile charging in rural household of Khajauli for IDES beneficiaries: Almost all of the IDES beneficiaries in Khajauli have removed the Generator powered electric supply. This clean lighting has also reduced the dependence on kerosene oil for lighting. Though the cost of the product is Rs.3650/- which seems high for rural households but they have understood the benefits of IDES lighting and consider it as an asset which has to be used carefully such that it can be used as long as possible. Earlier some of the rural households had to go to local market to charge their mobile at Rs.5/- per mobile, the charge of which used to last on an average 3 days. The person/children had to spend atleast 1 hour at the shop to look after the mobile (just in case the mobile battery was exchanged or unauthorized calls being done using their mobile). Now they can charge their mobile anytime. It is to be noted that Husband of SHG member goes outside state to earn their living and communication is the most important aspect considered in rural households.

Current Scenario of cooking in rural household of Khajauli for IDES beneficiaries: Forced draft mud cook stoves with lighting had tremendous impact on the habit of using traditional mud cookstove. It is seen that IDES beneficiaries are satisfied and only uses IDES forced draft cookstoves. Some of the impact created by the IDES forced draft cookstove is as follows-

Food is cooked much more quickly than the traditional mud cookstove Less amount of biomass is required to cook food.

(SHG members have said that earlier they used to spend atleast 3-4kg of biomass, now they have to spent only 1-1.5kg of biomass)

Most importantly cooking is smokeless

BRLPS-TERI IDES Project and Livelihood Generation: With this BRLPS-TERI IDES project atleast 10 rural youths have got jobs as technician, for installation of IDES and giving after sales service. Energy Entrepreneurs are themselves making mould and the profit of it will be invested in the Energy Enterprise. The iron frame of the IDES is being made locally so local venders are getting benefited by it. It is envisaged that as the implementation of the IDES expand to other blocks more jobs will be generated out of it.