Green energy: Lakshadweep to generate electricity from coconut leaves, stem, husk and shells

In what is likely a global first, inhabitants of 11 Lakshadweep islands have decided to stop using diesel and turn to coconuts for meeting their frugal power needs.

An alternative energy expert has shown the residents how to generate sufficien telectricity from coconut leaves, stem, husk and shells. With millions of coconut trees on the islands, supply will never be an issue and it will also help cut down on pollution in the archipelago.

About 200-440 km off the south western coast of India, Lakshadweep - a Sanskrit name that means one hundred thousand islands - consists of 36 islands in all, 25 of which are uninhabited. The main source of power for the inhabitants of these fragile ecological coral islands for long has been diesel generators.

"Diesel is costly and electricity produced from these generators costs around 28 per unit against conventional power cost of about 3-4 per unit. The power department of Lakshadweep offers 90% subsidy - about 25 on every unit of power sold - and spends 80 crore each year, which is a drain on the government," SP Gon Choudhury, advisor to the Lakshadweep's power department, told ET.

Choudhury, a nationally renowned solar power expert, was invited by the Lakshadweep authorities to suggest ways to set up solar power generation systems on the islands for minimising pollution. "After studying the landscape of the cluster of islands, its habitat and the ecological system, despite being a solar expert, I suggested setting up small bio-mass power generation systems on each island that will use coconut leaves, husk and the shells."

Assured, cheap fuel supply

Wind power has also been ruled out due to land constraints," Choudhury said.

He claims power from coconut is a global first. These trees being an intrinsic part of the island and available in such abundance, fuel for the power plants is assured and comes almost free of cost. "Energy content in the fuel is very high and it will bring down cost of generation from 28 per unit to 11 per unit," he said.

Ravi Chandar, executive engineer at the Lakshadweep power department, says: "It will reduce emissions by 80-90% in comparison to diesel generators and outgo on account of subsidy will reduce from 80 crore per year to a meagre 8 crore every year."

The plan is to set up biomass units with a total installed capacity of about 10 mw that will meet the power demand of the population. "Investment for the project has been pegged at 80 crore. It will be set up on a built, operate and transfer basis. The company that builds the units will run it for 10 years after which it will be transferred to the government," said Chandar.

A detailed project report has been prepared and passed by the Lakshadweep authorities, which will start inviting expressions of interest next month, he said.

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Companies are increasingly realizing the importance of going green

Companies are increasingly realizing the importance of going green. The 2011 Carbon Disclosure Project report, prepared for 551 signatory institutional investors representing $71 trillion of assets, shows that the majority of US companies are taking climate change action, despite an absence of mandatory rule. In addition to a desire to be more socially responsible, companies now understand how being seen as green benefits their business. 

• A study ”The Value of Green: The Effect of Environmental Rankings on Market Cap”  by N Blumenshine of Middlebury College concluded that “companies with high environmental rankings have higher market cap values than comparable companies with lower rankings”.
• Findings in Australia by Nielsen, the market research firm, found that 68%  of consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies who support worthy causes concerned with the environment
• According to an Ipsos Mori survey, 80% of respondents across 15 developed nations would prefer working for a company that “has a good reputation for environmental responsibility” – the figure was 81% in the U.S.
• A poll on green employment by MonsterTRAK.com, a job website, found that 92% would be more inclined to work for a company that is environmentally friendly.
• Cassandra Walsh, an HR coordinator at an IT company, and Adam Sulkowski, an assistant professor, analyzed 113 companies from the S&P 250 and concluded that ”Employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs if they work for a company that’s perceived to be environmentally friendly”.  A firm’s financial performance had no correlation with employee happiness levels, the researchers found.
• HSBC, which employs more than 300,000 staff worldwide, has been running a “climate champion” program since 2007. When HSBC staff were asked how they felt about working at the bank, Mr Thomas says the highest scoring item was the company’s sustainability work. (Financial Times, March 21, 2011)
• Gallup’s surveys suggest Indians are more worried about their environment than are people in rich countries (The Economist, Dec 17-30, 2011)

Reducing carbon emissions and shifting to cleaner technology are long-term and costly solutions. A simple, easy and effective way for a company to go green is to plant trees. Trees provide flowers, fruit, fodder and fuel to communities and living creatures, improve water catchment areas, offer shade to nomads and their livestock, prevent soil erosion and give shelter to birds and animals and benefit posterity while decarbonising the world.

Grow-Trees.com gives companies an easy way to go green by allowing them to plant trees with just a few clicks at Rs. 50 per tree. Each tree planted can be gifted out to a recipient through a tree-dedication certificate. Companies are planting trees to celebrate employee birthdays and anniversaries, to honour new and loyal customers, to honour speakers, to recognize dealers and distributors, for new Facebook fans, as part of CSR or to offset emissions.

Grow-Trees has planted over 406,000 trees on public and community lands across India. Over 130 companies such as Thomas Cook, SBI Life Insurance, Panasonic, DHL, Nokia, Franklin Templeton, Kotak Credit Cards and Mahindra Reva have planted trees through Grow-Trees.  Allowing companies to satisfy a private purpose while doing social good by planting trees is a novel way to increase the green cover of the world.

Content Source : http://rise.mahindra.com/why-are-companies-going-green/