The
6th ‘National Training Programme on Renewable Energy for Media
Persons’ was recently held at the Administrative Staff College
Tof India (ASCI), Hyderabad, on 8–9 September 2006. Around 29
participants from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and
Maharashtra took part in the two-day event. Sponsored by the Ministry
of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), Govt. of India, the
programme was inaugurated by the Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh
Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC), K. Swaminathan. In
his inaugural address, Mr Swaminathan stressed on the need for
adopting renewables and pointed out the various initiatives taken
by APERC in this regard. While highlighting the success of wind
power he also had a word of caution with regard to biomass power
projects, considering the secure
availability of reasonably priced biomass. The other dignitary
who was present at the inauguration was N P Singh, Senior Adviser,
Information and Public Awareness, MNES, who highlighted the Ministry's
role in promoting renewables in India.
The post-inaugural session began with Ashwin Gambhir, Sr. Research
Associate, WISE, and Course Director, explaining the present-day
energy situation in India and pointing out the urgent need for
embracing renewables to address India's energy problems. This
was followed by a detailed overview of power sector reforms and
regulations by Usha Ramachandra, Professor, Centre for Energy,
Environment, Urban Governance and Infrastructure Development,
ASCI, Hyderabad. Rama Raju, MD, Surya Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs
Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad, provided an overview of the various stand
alone and grid connected renewable energy technologies. The post-lunch
sessions had presentations on biomass power projects in AP given
by Mohan Reddy, MD, Zenith Corporate Services, Hyderabad, and
ended with a talk on biofuels by Venu Madhav, Sr. Scientist and
Project Manager, Nandan Biomatrix, Hyderabad. His talk was followed
by a field visit to the Nandan Biomatrix Research Lab wherein
the participants were able to witness a biodiesel pilot production
unit being run on Jatropha oil.
The
second day began with a presentation on ‘Climate Change, Energy,
and Environment’ by N H Ravindranath, Chairman, Centre for Sustainable
Technologies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The highlight
of the two day programme was the presentation on solar energy
by C L Gupta, Professor of Applied Sciences, Solar Energy Unit,
Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry. This was followed by a talk
on Environment and Sustainable Development by Gayathri Ramachandran,
DG, Environment Protection Training and Research Institute, Hyderabad,
and a presentation by N P Singh on the various initiatives and
programmes of MNES. The post-lunch sessions began with a very
spirited presentation by S Raghupathy, Senior Director and Head,
CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Hyderabad, on the subject
of energy conservation and management. The talk also highlighted
the various aspects of 'Green Buildings'. A case study presentation
on a 6.6 MW power project based on municipal solid waste was delivered
by Dr G. V. Ramakrishna, CMD, SELCO International Limited, Hyderabad.
P L Vishweshwar Rao, former Director, Educational Multimedia Research
Centre, Osmania University, Hyderabad, ended the day’s session
with his talk on the role of media in promoting sustainable development.
The training programme concluded with Mr Lingaraj Panigrahi, MD,Non-Conventional
Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NEDCAP), delivering
the valedictory address, wherein he urged the media to use the
'power' of the pen to promote renewables. The training programme
received an overwhelming response from the participants, who,
at the end of the two days, expressed deep satisfaction with the
deliberations and overall outcome of the training programme.
