Environment Share on facebookShare on twitterMore Sharing Services Renewable Energy Projects Recognizing that renewable energy technologies offer a sustainable way of bringing power and its benefits to people in urban and rural areas that lack sufficient energy supply, the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) has been exploring reliable, cost-effective and fossil-fuel-free alternatives to diesel generators and electricity grid extension systems for more than a decade. Mt Abu, site of BKWSU spiritual headquarters, is located in a remote, arid, impoverished region of Western Rajasthan, India. Conventional commercial electricity supply is at times unreliable and relatively costly. On the plus side, Mt. Abu enjoys long days of sunshine nearly all year round and, due to its 1,300 metre elevation above sea level, is also relatively well-served by wind currents. The Department of Renewable Energy In 1992, under the auspices of the Brahma Kumaris family of organizations, the World Renewal Spiritual Trust (WRST) established an on-site Department of Renewable Energy at BKWSU spiritual headquarters. The research and development programme of the Department comprises the following technologies: • Hybrid alternative energy systems • Passive solar architecture • Photovoltaic power packs • Solar hot water plants • Solar steam cooking systems • Water recycling technologies The initial aim of this Department was to find a solution to meet the electricity and other energy requirements of the University’s many residents and visitors. Hybrid Energy With the help of the German Agency for Technical Operations (GTZ) and the Institute of Solar Energy Technologies (ISET) of Kassel, Germany, a small hybrid photovoltaic and wind generator system –one of the first of its kind in India – was set up at BKWSU spiritual headquarters in 1992 to continuously monitor solar radiation and wind speed. The Ministry of Non–Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), Government of India, financed a further research project involving the installation, in the spring of 1996, of two wind battery chargers – 3kW and 1kW respectively – as part of a programme on wind energy utilization for rural and remote areas. Research findings so far indicate that small wind generators, in combination with photovoltaic or diesel generators, can play a major role in cost – effective and low–maintenance rural electrification programmes. In 1996, the University’s second campus on Mt. Abu, Gyan Sarovar Academy for a Better World, opened its doors. This eco–friendly complex – inspired by a vision of a modern global village in a rural setting – was constructed, without disturbing the natural topography, to provide a tranquil, pollution-free atmosphere for higher learning. One of its first features was a 10 kW hybrid solar plus wind energy system for electrical generation which provides 24–hours of continuous power supply to the telephone and audiovisual systems at no cost. Read more about Solar Energy Solar Energy Share on facebookShare on twitterMore Sharing Services The Brahma Kumaris have been world pioneers in the installation and use of solar energy within large communities. Some of its achievements include: • Installing solar hot water facilities that provide nearly 60,000L per day for bathing on the Madhuban and Gyan Sarovar campuses; • Constructing a solar steam cooking system capable of producing 35,000 meals per day on the Shantivan campus in 1998. This system, which has been running successfully for the past seven years, consists of 84 parabolic concentrators and daily generates 3500 Kg of steam. • Installing an efficient solar steam cooking system with a dish size of 12.6 square metres at the Global Hospital and Research Centre in Mt. Abu to provide steam for the canteen, sterilizers and laundry. • Installing a 50 kW solar photovoltaic power plant with Sunpower inverter on each of the three campuses in 2000, providing unlimited power for computer, sound and emergency lighting systems; • Equipping the 1,000 year old village of Salgaon, which borders the Gyan Sarovar campus, with solar street lighting, solar lanterns and solar cooking boxes; similar assistance to other neighbouring villages is planned or is already being provided. • Making solar technological expertise available to other large residential complexes within the Brahma Kumaris network in India. For example, a steam cooking system for 600 people has been set up in Yellapur (Hubli) and a system capable of providing meals for 2000 people has been completed at the Om Shanti Retreat Centre near New Delhi. • With the help of World Bank funding, equipping 60 centres in India with a 5kW solar PV system and providing 300 centres with a 1 kW system. • Promoting renewable energy technology and making it available to the public at affordable prices by providing information and selling thousands of solar lanterns, as well as hundreds of home lighting systems and solar cooking boxes, through its Solar Shop on the Shantivan campus. Renewable Energy Partners • Advanced Energy Systems, Perth, Australia • Brahma Kumaris Educational Society, Mumbai, India • Charitable Trust to Promote Social, Medical and Cultural Institutions in India, Bremen, Germany • ECO Centre, Valsad, Gujarat, India • Government of Australia, AusAid, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, India • Government of Germany, the German Agency for Technical Operations (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany • Government of India, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), New Delhi, India • Hoch Temperatur Technik/High Temperature Technology (HTT), Herford, Germany • IndiaCare, Berlin, Germany • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, India • Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), India • Institute of Solar Energy Technologies (ISET), Kassel, Germany • Kassel University, Research Laboratory for Experimental Building, Kassel, Germany • Siemens Solar, India • Solar Bruecke, Germany • Sunpower, Bad Vilbel, Germany • The World Bank, Washington, USA • ULOG, Solar Research, Switzerland For more information on Brahma Kumaris Renewable Energy Projects, please visit bkun.org/earth/renew.html
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 13:32:32 +0000
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