Monday, July 08, 2013: Tiruchi is already known as country’s energy hub manufacturing thermal power generation equipment that caters to 75 per cent of electricity needs within the country. The industrialists in Tiruchi are now getting themselves prepared to produce renewable energy as well.
Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association recently organised an orientation programme for nearly 50 entrepreneurs in coordination with TFSC (TANSTIA – FNF Service Centre), which is a joint venture between Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) and Friedrich Naumann Stiftung Foundation (FNST), Germany.
The programme on “Renewable Energy and SMEs” was intended to encourage the participants to discover solar energy generation using available policy support systems. According to R.M.P. Jawahar, Executive Director, TREC – STEP (Tiruchi Regional Engineering College – Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park), who commenced the programme, “Engaging entrepreneurs in the SME sector was vital. They were exposed to innovate in renewable energy generation, their applications, and the incentives they could look for in the Centre’s National Solar Mission to connect 20,000 MW of solar energy to the grid by 2020.”
Jawahar further stated that any discussion pertaining to energy was always linked with thermal power generation. Due to increasing sea levels, the country is likely to face serious power problems. Therefore, there is a need to prioritize renewable energy to save the country from the trouble of managing wastes. Though fly ash can be recycled, disposing bottom ash continues to pose a huge problem at power stations told Jawahar. He expressed willingness of TREC-STEP to get associated with TIDITSSIA to undertake joint projects. While TANSTIA Vice-President Rajappa Rajkumar addressed the SME entrepreneurs, TIDITSSIA president S. Abdul Rasheed chaired the programme.
