Kerala - Kollam   

Call for renewable energy vision policy for State

Staff Reporter

`Energy security a major problem faced by India'

KOLLAM: S. Ratnakumar, newly elected president of the Energy Conservation Society (ECS), has called upon the State Government to announce a renewable energy vision policy, which ensures a time-bound action plan.

In a statement here on Thursday, he said that considering frequent steep increase in prices of petroleum products, such a policy became imperative. The action plan should ensure the speedy implementation of renewable energy initiatives, research and development, energy education, popularisation of bio-fuels from Jatropha and inedible vegetable oils, and demonstration of success stories of renewable energy applications.

Mr. Ratnakumar said that with the unpredictable nature of energy prices, biomass energy was an optimal option. The European Union spent 3 per cent of its gross domestic product on research and development on renewable energy. By 2050, the energy demand would be doubled. With aggressive initiatives, the European Union and countries such as Canada would be able to meet 50 per cent of their energy requirements from renewable energy during next 40 years, he added.

Energy security was one of the major problems India faced. The country met 76 per cent of its requirement through import. Prices were driven by market demand and major producers, such as Saudi Arabia, were not interested in increasing production in view of an anticipated depletion of their oil reserves. Experts predicted that oil prices would increase further in the coming years and seriously affect infrastructure development and other basic requirements of developing countries, such as India. The situation could lead to inflation and turn into a heavy burden for the common man.

He said it was time production of power from non-conventional energy sources, such as biomass, wind and solar energies, was accelerated. Biomass-fired heater and boilers were commonly used in industries in the northern States, through which about 60 per cent of the fuel cost could be saved. About 50 per cent of the petroleum products were used by transport vehicles. Bio-fuels could be successfully used as alternative transport fuel. Though other States had started cultivation of Jatropha and other oilseeds, Kerala was yet to go ahead in promoting such cultivations, he said.

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