Energy systems should be consistent with environmental, economic
and social sustainability in order to ensure regional sustainable
development. This enhances both current and future potential to
meet the human needs and aspirations. Sustainable development, a
process of change, in which, the exploitation of resources, the
direction of investments , the orientation of technological
development and institutional change are in harmony. National
energy programme should prioritize the development of renewable
energy sources, which offer the potentially huge sources of
primary energy.
The path for sustainability in the next millennium is the low
energy path through wise use of energy. Energy conservation and
energy efficiency measures would certainly result in meeting the
energy demand with as little as half the primary supply at
current levels. This requires profound structural changes in
socio-economic and institutional arrangements. Environmentally
sound, technically and economically viable energy pathways will
sustain human progress in the long term future giving a fair and
equitable share of the underprivileged and poor of the developing
countries.
Renewable energy is considered by some as the only hope for the
survival of planet yet by others it is viewed as a marginal
resource with limited resource. All too often, however, the facts
behind the role that renewable energy can, and will, play in the
regional energy scene are disguised or ignored as rival camps
distort the evidence to suit their own objectives. It was in the
light of this confusion that the Energy Research Group at Centre
for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science undertook
investigation in Kolar and Uttara Kannada Districts in Karnataka
State, India to identify the potential contribution of several
types of renewable energy sources: Solar, Wind, Hydro, Bioenergy,
etc.
In this regard it is necessary to:
Include regional energy where relevant as one of the key elements
in the overall strategy for sustainable development. Integrate
programmes for food, water, energy and social development.
Establish regional centres of excellence for renewable energy,
to provide training, technology support, and resource databases
appropriate to the regional needs. Develop and implement regional
demonstration programmes as showcases of the best elements of
renewable technologies.
Gather, review and publicise success stories involving renewable
energy, to give realistic examples of what has been done and is
possible.
This publication provides a comprrehensive review of Renewable
Resources from a technical point of view, and details and
synthesises the results of the detailed research undertaken at
Kolar as a part of UNDP-NRDMS programme of the Ministry of
Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology,
Government of India.
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