Monday, February 10, 2014: The Central Government has reportedly vowed to convert to environment-friendly power resources. In the latest bid, it aims to swap to solar power as the source fuel from the fossil-fuel generative diesel, in 26 million groundwater pumps across the entire nation.
These pumps are utilised by the farmers throughout the agriculture belt in the country, to pull out groundwater for irrigation. They are sourced mainly by diesel generators or the electrical grid for power.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy aimes to have 700,000 additional diesel pumps that can be replaced and are bought every year, in India. “The potential is huge. Irrigation pumps may be the single largest application for solar in the country.” said Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary at the ministry, while speaking to Bloomberg.
The project is planned to subsidise the conversion by swaping the fuel generators but is likely to operate in different susceptibilities in various states. In some, subsidy can reach up to 86 per cent. With the low costs the pumps will generate their buying amount compensation in 1 to 4 years which will lessen the burden on many farmers.
As the diesel prices are on raise and will increase more in the farming season. The country’s basic electricity-source is coal, natural gas or hydroelectric stations which will be sufficiently available for other consumptions.
