Generating Clean Energy through Rooftop Solar System

India’s climate can be classified as a hot tropical country; Odisha could emerge as the hottest state in India by 2100 if mitigating measures are not taken urgently, warns an exhaustive, worldwide study done by researchers at the University of Chicago.

Paradeep the industrial town have 25 slum colonies comprising 17,411 shanties. Bijay Chandrapur with 450 households located at the latitude of 20.286155 and longitude of 86.631163 for more than two decades. The temperatures are quite high during summer and the sun is very harsh. 

People are living in an unsafe and insecure life with substandard housing that is poorly serviced and overcrowded, and therefore unhealthy, unsafe, and socially undesirable. Nearly 80% of houses have a tin/asbestos roof, 10% of houses have Husk/bamboo, 3% have cemented and the rest 7% have Polythine cover. The presence of a kitchen outside the home, use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene stove and presence of wooden chulha are there in the slum. The temperature and gas generated by solid and liquid fuels add to the ambient temperature.  Two-thirds of houses have an electricity supply and all of them experience a power cut during the summer. Power cut and presence of chronic conditions are associated with heat illness, crowding and dense populations increase the housing temperature. 

32.9% households work as contractual labour under the boat owners and they spend on food whatever they earn. The range of household income of slum dwellers is about Rs. 6,000 - 10,000 and they spend on food (61.39% of income). They go for loan to boat owners at the time urgency at higher interest rate. Most of them are unable to repay and remain in indebtedness. Frequent illness, frequent repair of temporary shelters and frequent indebtedness keep them always poor as if they are inheriting intergenerational poverty.

People are more dependent on water and other traditional cooling mechanisms like use clay pot for drinking water, eating rice water, bathing multiple times, wearing wet clothes, cotton clothes, wet floor and walls, spread straw/husk, stay indoors, resting in open areas/shades, covering the roof, albedo painting on roof, and wearing light/cotton clothes are leading adaptive practices of the people during extreme heat. These adaptive practices are directly linked with income.         

The presence of chronic conditions makes people frail and decreases the tolerance capacity towards heat. In general, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat stroke are the leading heat-related events they have been experiencing. People are affected by hypertensions, diabetes, acid peptic disease, skin disease, arthritis, stroke, heart disease, weight problem etc. in the slum.  When exposed to heat, the slum dwellers become easily dehydrated. So, not only merely the disease alone, but also multiple factors increase the complexities and risk of heat illness. The elderly men have chronic conditions and functional impairment which makes them vulnerable towards heat. Thus, extreme heat during summer is an emerging threat to biodiversity, economy, livelihood, and the future generation.

For your kind information, we are right now involved with the homeless people in making 45 numbers of environment-friendly low cost houses of 150 sqft sizes at Bijaya Chandpur with the support from SELAVIP Foundation. It is the approved plan to complete and handover the houses to the homeless families by mid of September 2023.

 We seek support from MIT SOLVE to create models of rooftop solar system at Bijaya Chandpur slum in the Industrial city of Paradeep, Odisha. We seek assistance to invest for piloting rooftop solar system installations, which is the most flexible form of renewable energy for vulnerable homeless households at Bijaya Chandpur. We intend empower 350 families and a pool of 35 youth through awareness generation, capacity building, training and exposure visit to create quality low-carbon homes and adapt to more extreme weather in Odisha. We will inculcate the basic understanding among the slum dwellers that, they will proclaim and become change agents of clean and renewable source of energy. We envisage strategic activities for wider replication of rooftop solar system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change.

 We will build capacity of 35 youth through imparting training on two main types of solar energy technologies i.e. photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP). We will explain the two main technologies that can convert solar radiation into electricity namely Flat Plate collectors & Concentrating collectors. Flat-Plate: a solar energy collector that absorbs energy onto a flat surface without concentrating it. We also teach them several major types of solar thermal technologies in use: Unglazed solar collectors, Transpired solar air collectors, Flat-plate solar collectors, Evacuated tube solar collectors, Concentrating solar systems.

Besides, the youth will learn top 10 Residential Uses for Solar Energy such as Solar Powered Ventilation Fans, Solar Heating for Your Swimming Pool, Solar Water Heater, Solar House Heating, Solar Powered Pumps, Charging Batteries With Solar Power, Power Your Home With Photo-Electric etc.

We plan for organising awareness meetings, rallies, seminars, workshops, conferences, eassy competitions, several competitions right from grass roots levels to State level on the favour of solar energy as the best alternative to reduce green gas emissions and mitigating climate change. We will make collective efforts for engagement with government officials, frontline service providers, bureaucrats, policy makers, social thinkers, journalists, industrialists, educationists, students of schools and colleges, popular film stars, singers and artists etc. A cultural troupe of 10-15 youth/students/women will be formed to organise street plays on the issue of climate change. Songs will be composed and recorded to be used during awareness generation. A vehicle will be used exclusively as awareness cart moving around villages, towns and cities. Coverage of social media, mass media and print media will be one of the best means for wider dissemination of information and success stories. We intend to empower people to access 30% subsidy the central government pays for these systems to states in general categories

There are two types of beneficiaries: direct and indirect in the project. The direct beneficiaries can be defined as those 350 households of Bijaya Chandpur slum. Their houses will be installed with solar system. Moreover, the 35 youth members of the Vivekananda Youth Club at Bijaya Chandpur are considered as direct beneficiaries as they are going to be the prime mover of the project in terms of popularising the concept of solar energy to reduce the gas emissions and mitigating climate change. The project staffs are considered as the direct beneficiaries being totally engaged in the project implementation and management process. The women, men youth, children, adolescent girls and school and college students are also falling under direct beneficiaries. The categorised indirect beneficiaries are those who are going to get benefited during and after the project period; they are the frontline service providers, government officials, bureaucrats, policy makers, social thinkers, journalists, industrialists, educationists, students of schools and colleges, popular film stars, singers and artists, people at solar companies etc. These indirect beneficiaries have influential roles to make the project effective and successful. 

We have 12 well trained community mobilizers who are associated with us for the last 3 years basically to make the project have good start and run smoothly. They are good to create and have working relationship with the communities. They are experts in community based participatory planning, designing, implementation and supervision. We have another 7 communication experts/trainers who are good in coordination, networking and dealing with indirect stakeholders. They are engaged to build rapport with frontline service providers, local key leaders, government officials, businessmen, media persons and local artists.

The project leader (Prasanna Kumar Lima) the secretary of the organisation is from 38 years of social work experiences being associated with regional, national and international agencies.  He has vast experiences in project planning, monitoring, evaluation, documentation and publicity. Mr. Bijaya Nayak, president of FORWARD is from social work background and a source of encouragement, motivation and inspiration to the entire team. We have two women members in the board who are great support and source of energy in managing the organisation.

Besides, we have two technically sound personnel with civil engineering and IT background. We do hire some part time experts, trainers, technicians depending on the nature of project.

We have successfully completed and implementing many development, education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation projects across five districts of Odisha. e.g. the Solar drinking water and sanitation project (Supported by SELAVIP Foundation), Pre-education and nutrition project (Supported by Jiv daya Foundation), Integrated Fish Farming project (Supported by NABARD), Odisha Millet Mission Project (Supported by Government of Odisha) etc.

To be contextual, right now we are involved with the homeless families in making 45 environment friendly low cost houses at the proposed slum of Bijaya Chandpur. 

Currently there are 7 full timer and 12 part time volunteers do our solutions. Besides, the 7 executive board members give their time to implement the proejct efficiently, effectively and within time bound. 

We are applying to SOLVE for both financial and technical support. The request to invest for the installations of rooftop solar sysem, organising staff capacity building, organising seminars,workshop, awareness building, documentation, media coverage, advocacy etc. 

We also need your support in the areas of legal aspect depending on the requirment of undergoing any legal process in running such a technical project of this sort. Importantly, the envisaged empowerment of 35 youth in terms of solar technology we will appreciate to have your close guidance, and support.  

First and foremost the innovation of this project is creating a model of rooftop solar system among the needy and vulnerable community; empowering them to be the messengers of solar energy in reducing the gas emission and mitigating climate change. 

Secondly, the engagement of multiple stakeholders in the project process has its importance to popularise the concept of solar based energy generation system.

Thirdly, the methods of propagating through songs, awareness campaign and social media coverage will have ample opportunities to attract for this noble ways of addressing the issues of climate change.

Fourthly, this project is going to inculcate a sense of responsibility among the students (School & College).

Fifthly, the project location – Bijaya Chandpur slum in Paradeep industrial city is the right region to come out with this sort of innovative plans to draw the attention of business class, industrialists, staff and workers of several factories and industries.

Sixthly, involvement of popular local artists and singers will be the attraction points to mobilize communities and making them known about the adverse impact of climate change and extreme heat.

Seventhly, the scope of getting timely support and technical guidance from SOLVE is promising and uncourageous.

The significance of Solar rooftops is it needs only the light of the sun to generate electricity, making it a cleaner source of energy than most other usual forms. Its renewable nature promises sustainability. No health hazards are involved and no pollutants are emitted by solar rooftops. No extra land is required to set up rooftops.

Importantly, as a renewable source of power, solar energy has an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, which is critical to protecting humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Solar energy can also improve air quality and reduce water use from energy production.

People at larger social fabric will realize the following 5 Benefits of Residential Solar such as Benefit 1: Solar panels are increasingly affordable. Benefit 2: One can save money by going solar. Benefit 3: One can keep the lights on when the grid goes down. Benefit 4: Solar will often increase the value of one’s home. Benefit 5: Solar systems work in a variety of climates

The project is designed with the aims to

1. Promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing the energy security challenges.
2. Create an enabling environment for the penetration of solar technology throughout the Paradeep Industrial City, District Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, India target.
3. Establish Bijaya Chandpur as messenger of solar energy in reducing green gas emission and mitigating climate change. 

Using solar energy can have a positive, indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources that have larger effects on the environment. Furthermore, the installation of solar panels on rooftops and other areas provides numerous benefits to communities. It helps reduce electricity bills, creates jobs in the renewable energy industry and contributes to a healthier environment by cutting down levels of air pollution. 

The decentralised and modular nature of solar power makes it easy to deploy for multiple rural applications, impacting key facets of rural population such as productivity, safety, health benefits, access to clean water, heating solution and livelihood. The availability of solar-powered water pumps and solar lamps will have a life-changing effect on rural communities in Paradeep area, providing clean drinking water and lighting while eliminating hardships, health hazards and habits that contribute to climate change.

The solar systems may attract people to include lamps and chargers, which will play a significant role in the economic empowerment of the farmer communities in long run. Small scale solar home system will provide electricity to more than 50 villages and 50000 people in rural areas in the surrounding slums and villages of Paradeep city. The programme may also introduce 1,000 solar irrigation pumps and 13 solar mini-grids and transform the lives of the rural population. Solar irrigation pumps will enable farmers to improve crop yields. Shops and restaurants can stay open after dark. Families no longer will have to rely on polluting firewood and kerosene. Girls can improve their literacy by studying at night. And not least, avoiding fossil fuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

·         The programme will create 350 houses with rooftop solar system at Bijaya Chandpur and over 20,000 households across Paradeep will be benefited by providing access to solar home lighting systems, fans and clean cook stoves.

·         20000 people across Paradeep get relaxed from extreme heat even if there is power cut.

·         In 50 rural villages women can give birth safely at night.

·         The elderly people/aged ones will feel comfort with constant solar energy linked services

·         The seriously affected patients mentally and physically feel consoled  

·         Programme will help in increasing participation of women in education, social, and livelihood activities.

·         The programme will create impact to provide electricity to 250 schools, 25 hostels, 15 panchayats, 3 police stations, and other public service institutions will help communities at large and also

·         The programme will create impact to install 300 numbers of solar streetlights throughout the Paradeep city and adjoining villages/slums with special emphasis on areas where there is no facility for street lighting systems.

·         The programme will likely to benefit 40000 rural households. 

Theory of Change

The major objective of the project is to generate solar power through the installation of solar panels on the roof of the houses. When we use solar panels to create electricity no greenhouse gas emissions are released into the atmosphere. And because the sun provides more energy than we'll ever need, electricity from solar power is a very important energy source in the move to clean energy production.  Off-grid solar, which provides electricity to communities and individuals that are not connected to the grid, is expected to continue to grow. Off-grid solar can help to bring electricity to remote or rural areas and support economic growth and development.

Solar energy can be used for many of the everyday needs, including electrical power, heating and cooling, water heating, industrial process heat, cooking, transportation, fuel production and even environmental clean-up. It comes as radiation which is pure energy (no mass associated with it), which is the highest form of energy and can be converted to many other forms for our everyday use. 

There is no shortage of technological advancements in the solar power sector, contributing to renewed growth in the industry after the coronavirus pandemic paused several projects. 

New inverters and racking solutions are making solar installations more efficient, helping extract more energy from the sun's rays. 

We will adopt two major technologies have been developed to harness it namely:

• Photovoltaic solar technology, which directly converts sunlight into electricity using panels made of semiconductor cells.
• Solar thermal technology, which captures the sun's heat. This heat is used directly or converted into mechanical energy.

Besides, we will talk and teach the following technologies

• Solar Photovoltaic Technology. Converts sunlight directly into electricity to power homes and businesses.
• Passive Solar Technology
• Solar Water Heating
• Solar Process Heat
• Concentrating Solar Power

Our working approach is inclusive in nature. Our working culture is based on values of equality & equity, team spirit, obidience, cooperation, transparency and accountability. 

We create a culture that allows employees to speak up, offer suggestions, and take initiative. Having a good work culture means making employees feel heard, and we encourage employees to participate in decision-making processes. 

We create a culture that allows employees to speak up, offer suggestions, and take initiative. Having a good work culture means making employees feel heard, and we encourage employees to participate in decision-making processes.

Our working culture 

• Treating colleagues as friends, caring for them, and being interested in their wellbeing.
• Supporting colleagues and offering compassion and kindness in times of need.
• Forgiving mistakes and not assigning blame.
• Working to inspire each other.

We consider the Solar System based energy as a Social Enterprise Accelerator model as a template for scaling up individual social businesses. To enable greater consistency with an institutional economic framework, we suggest an adaptation of the model. We conclude by highlighting potential benefits and challenges facing solar electrification, including the limits of social enterprise as a stand-alone solution to utility provision.

Entrepreneurial skills are crucial for scaling. These are needed to get political or financial support to build networks, to hire professional staff, to communicate with stakeholders to work efficiently, to build a proper business case and to develop marketing strategies. Therefore, we plan to build the capacities of the 35 youth to equip entrepreneurial skills and ensure sustainability of the project.

As grid extension is prohibitively expensive; communities will hence prefer and opt for off-grid solar systems as a viable and inexpensive option for increasing energy availability. The solar energy system has a positive effect on household savings and economic productivity, Therefor it is claimed that solar systems are an affordable and convenient choice for villagers, and that solar energy can help them increase their living capital. This attitude of the community will be one of the factors for project sustainability. 

We anticipate and plan for the project sustainability focussing on the factors of the project as follows:

• Solar Lowers Your Utility Bill
• Solar Creates Jobs
• Solar Assists During Emergencies
• Solar Incentives for Installation
• Solar Energy Is Better for the Environment
• Solar Helps With Land Use
• Solar Reduces Carbon Emissions Recycling solar panels