RE-EMPOWERED partners traveled to Keonjhar to experience the activities in the Indian demosite. In particular the partners visited the microgrid system where the 10 kW bio-mass plant, 30 kWp Solar PV system along with 180 kWh BESS were commissioned in February 2024 and November 2023 respectively. The biogas system (10 kW) installation is under progress, to be completed by 31st March 2024. Subsequently, they met with village people and discussed various issues related to sustainability of the system.
After visiting the demo site, all the members moved to the IIT Bhubaneswar campus where the CP meeting was held. Subsequently, meeting was arranged with the Head of School (SES) and the Director, followed by visit to the lab.
Background
Ranipada is a small village in Harichandanpur, Keonjhar District, Odisha State, India. The total population of the village is 350, living in the form of 77 families. The main source of income for the community is agriculture, primarily rice cultivation, which engages approximately 80–90% of the population. The village is equipped with three rice-cum-hauler mills, powered by diesel engines that consume 6-7 liters of diesel per day per machine. At present, the village is not connected to the main utility grid. However, a solar PV plant (22 kWp) was installed by the government of Odisha, supplying 100 W of power to each house to cater basic facilities like 2 tube lights and a fan.
Impact
The installation of the new 50 kW microgrid primarily aims to augment the overall generation capacity. This not only meets household demand but also establishes ecosystems to encourage the utilization of energy for income-generating purposes in agriculture and small businesses. Ultimately, this initiative aims to reduce rural-to-urban migration. Furthermore, in support of businesses and agriculture, electric vehicles are also supplied for transportation to sustain the supply chain.
