Introduction

It is known that India is facing acute electricity shortage leading to productivity loss in almost all the fields. Tamil Nadu state at present has a shortage of 3000 MW. At the present rate it will take at least 10 years to mitigate this power shortage problem. As a result the state is facing power cuts for 50% of the time. From the available statistics we learn that 50% of the power consumption in the state is by government offices and urban commercial establishments like shops or departmental stores for day time lighting.

To overcome this situation we have designed and are promoting the use of LED lighting systems as a replacement for CFL bulbs and tubelights which will help to reduce electricity consumption by 80% while producing the same amount of brightness. The process that we adopt is to manually fix at least 30 LED bulbs to a printed circuit board and solder it to make a one watt bulb. And wherever possible this LED lighting can be integrated with a solar panel to make it independent of electricity supply.

It is known that solar panels produce electricity during day time which is stored in a battery and used at night for street and home lighting. In our case the electricity produced during day time by the panels is consumed during day time itself thus eliminate the use of costly battery with high maintenance and replacement cost. Also this reduces dependency on the electricity supplied through the grid or by diesel generators. The unique feature of our system is that during cloudy weather the system will automatically switch over to normal electricity and maintain uninterrupted power supply. This will also eliminate use of diesel generator.

Since the LED bulbs consume just one third of the electricity compared to CFL bulbs and yet produce the same amount of brightness, we can connect three times more number of bulbs to a single panel thus reducing the investment in solar panels by two thirds and establish that use of solar panels is economically viable.

On an experimental basis we have already converted a conference hall at the Mudurai Corporation building to LED lighting integrated to solar panel. Overwhelmed by its success, we have now being asked by the government to convert the entire administrative office building (with over 1000 tubelights) to LED lighting system. We are hopeful of extending the project to other government departments and commercial establishments.

Project objectives

The objective of this project is to impart vocational skills to women groups at their doorsteps rather than them coming to a training center. A mobile training center will be established in a van equipped with tools, consumables, trainers and support staff. This team will travel to urban slums and remote rural areas which are under served to impart training to women and disabled.

The beneficiaries will be provided training in integrating LED bulbs with printed circuit boards so that they can do the LED integration in their homes while taking care of their domestic work.

The project envisages a partnership model between the local self help group and FOOD, wherein on completion of training they will be provided with raw materials to integrate the LED bulbs on printed circuit boards. And the LED lighting systems produced by the self help group will be marketed by FOOD to government departments, commercial establishments etc.

Project benefits

The major advantage of this project is that apart from helping save electricity it can also create employment for thousands of women. Further the aspiring women groups need not spend money or time commuting to a training center since the mobile center will be visiting the community.

The project will motivate and demonstrate livelihood opportunities to under-served communities at their doorsteps. Since the training center is mobile, extensive coverage including remote and tribal villages is possible. And even the disabled can be trained without them having to commute.

Next steps

For a quick start we have proposed to take up the project with women self help groups in urban areas and then move on to training rural self help groups. Through this project a women will be able earn between Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day.

Since the training center will be on wheels we will move the training center wherever there is need for skill development and the products made will be sold in their respective towns.

As the need for reducing electricity consumption is high we believe we can make rapid progress and keep creating employment for hundreds of women on a continual basis.

The assistance required for this project will be around Rs. 50 Lakhs (Rs. 5 million). This fund will be used for establishing a mobile training center housed inside a vehicle and accommodating about 15 trainees, training expenditure and as revolving fund.