4.5. Resources data

With the tasks and corresponding energy requirements identified, the next step in the regional energy planning exercise is to look at the sources, including traditional ones, to perform these tasks.

Firewood is the main source of energy for cooking in Uttara Kannada district. Water heating task is carried out with agriculture residues and firewood. Survey of 1304 households in Kumta taluk reveals that most of them still use traditional stoves, the efficiency of which is in the range of 10–15%. Kerosene and LPG (very small percentage: 0.0025) are among the noncommercial (non-local) resources used in Uttara Kannada. Kerosene is used largely for lighting. Grid electricity is used for lighting and in few households for energising pumpsets to irrigate the plantations during lean season [28,29].

Agriculture in Uttara Kannada depends mainly on animate sources of energy, such as, draught animal power, human power, etc. Organic farming is practiced in most sampled households.

Analyses of bioresources [27–29] show that biogas can meet cooking and lighting needs of at least 30% population (in Uttara Kannada district). The biogas potential (based on available animal residue) ranges from 11.42 to 19.45% (in coastal area), and 19.92 to 54.69% (in hilly area).

Producer gas engine can provide necessary motive power required for agricultural pumpsets, tractors and tillers. Wood required for producing producer gas through gasifiers can be raised from energy plantations on degraded land (is necessary). Availability of local resources is limited due to various factors.

These are

1. Size and number of devices required to harness a source, like the number of wind mills used and the energy they cancapture depend on (a) wind regime and the total swept area, and (b) solar radiation size of PV module/collector area (thermal devices)
2. In the case of animate sources, the available energy depends on their use hours/day and the capacity of sources.
3. The amount of raw material available for production (e.g., animal wastes for biogas, wood for producer gas, etc.)
4. In the case of hydropower resources, it depends mainly on precipitation-quantity of water and head of water drop at site.