Conclusion And Recommendations

5.Conclusion And Recommendations

1. Conclusion

The ACE project began in December 2009 with three-year duration and an objective of up scaling at least 10-15 successful, cost effective, replicable and financially viable entrepreneurship based business and delivery models for deployment of RET that strengthen livelihoods and leads to economic development. Based on the prominence of energy access issues, the project’s geographic coverage included seven United Nations Development Assistance Framework states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
The overall objective of the project being providing support for pilot projects in 35-50 villages leading to the development of a replicable model or approach; for assisting local entrepreneurs to manage RET applications and provide clean energy access which would help to improve quality of life rural people. Project’s four related sub objectives are to (a) assist in local capacity building; (b) generate local employment; (c) augment income and livelihood through value-added production; (d) contribute to global and local environmental benefits.
The overall objective of ACE project to increase the penetration of RET is relevant for India as it continues to face perennial power shortages and myriad challenges in finding solutions for providing clean energy to all its citizens. For such a daunting task programmes such as ACE help GOI in finding possible solutions by means of pilot projects which test the validity of a hypothesis, provide proof of concept which become useful in future policy formulation or give direction to programmes with similar objectives.
While scaling up from pilot project is a challenge in itself, the importance of these pilot projects remains in the fact that these field trials serve as important milestones indicating the right approach and direction to be followed to avoid costly mistakes. The MNRE’s attempt to accelerate the use of RET is also an attempt to transform a market which supplies energy, and also to transform the way clean energy is used to meet the basic needs of modern day living.
Based on the review of reports that were submitted to UNDP and MNRE as part of project deliverables, the project has followed all the steps and procedures set forth in guidelines, and at the time of project closure all the project deliverables have been achieved.
Regarding the pilot projects planned under ACE, it is observed that the overall time spent at various stages of project selection, such as soliciting response from project proponents and finalizing the DPRs for providing support, was 50% of the duration of ACE project. Consequently the project proponents were asked to scale down the project duration and project cost to fit into the available time of eight months of ACE project. The project targets, however, were not scaled down to match the available time. Consequently, due to reduction in available time and financial support more than 50% of the approved pilot projects were unable to go beyond the first milestone defined in the MNRE’s sanction letter and carry out the intended activities to reach completion at the time of ACE closure.
Typically pilot projects, such those being supported under ACE test new concepts and business models, and thus face unforeseen challenges over and above the identified risk factors. Therefore they require flexibility in implementation and financial support and longer gestation period before results are visible. The process of selection and approval of pilot projects should follow a firm time table and need to be awarded with in a fix time frame such that the performance period is not reduced.
Nonetheless, the interim outcome from few of the pilot projects – falling in three categories viz. (a) pilot demonstration of new technology, (b) scaling up of business model, (c) market development - has provided some noteworthy learning which contradicts the common perceptions. For instance, the willingness of people in rural area to use RET is very high as they realize very soon that RET are dependable and no operating cost is involved particularly in case of solar based RET. It also allows them to greatly reduce and in many cases, even stop the use of kerosene. SPV based lighting systems and home lighting systems are being bought by the villagers despite the fact that have access to grid.
Rural households with limited income have come forward to purchase RET as they realize that compared to kerosene, the daily operating expense of a SPV lighting system in nil and the white light is superior to the yellow light from a kerosene lamp. Finally, use of an improved cook stove leads to perceptible reduction in smoke emission and saving in fuel usage even though the fuel wood used is freely available to villagers.
These projects provide two very important leads. First, the use of SPV based lighting products can reduce and even eliminate demand of kerosene for the same end use i.e. lighting. Kerosene continues to receive heavy subsidy from the government, much more than any other fossil fuel and is, therefore, a major drain on GOI resources.
Second, biomass in the form of crop residue (or straw/husk) and woody biomass is the main source of fuel used for cooking purpose in rural area throughout India. The closest alternative is dung cakes which are a much greater source of indoor air pollution due to its burning characteristic. Thus increase in deployment of improved cook stove which is 35% to 50% more efficient as compared to conventional three-stone cook stove which is widely prevalent to do its ease of construction, can in a major way lead to a reduction in use of biomass. The reduction in emission can help to reduce the health incidences among women and children. Increase in deployment of improved cook stove would serve as one of the important component of the effort to reduce the rate of loss of forest cover which are an important ecological and environmental assets serving as carbon sinks.

5.1Recommendations

Based on the overall progress and achievements of the ACE project following recommendations are being proposed. First five recommendations are general programmatic activities. Remaining five recommendations are for UNDP and MNRE respectively to take up in their ongoing and future programmes.

1. 
   Efforts should be made to continue support to the pilots initiated under ACE project as these are unique and are testing out the challenges for scale up at different locations of India. Those projects which successfully achieve the targets should be provided support for replication in their respective focus areas. A concept should be replicable before it can be scaled up thus this is an important intermediate step for scale up.
   
2. 
   Efforts are needed on developing a methodology to assess the impact from such pilots as the learning provide important inputs both to the GOI, SNA, multi lateral agency and other key stakeholders, for replication at other location
   
3. 
   Engagement of SNA is important especially when a pilot project achieves its goals and has a track of successful implementation and made impact on the ground for all to see
   
4. 
   The monitoring of pilot projects should be carried out periodically jointly by MNRE and UNDP at least once every six months as it achieves (or faces challenge in reaching) milestone.
   
5. 
   Programme such as ACE which are of short duration should follow a strict timetable so that sufficient time is available for pilot testing of model or concept or hypothesis and gathering, analyzing the outcome which may have bearing on future policy formulation or programme of GOI
   
6. 
   The next phase of UNDP-MNRE projects should test various models of linking RET or accelerating Access to Clean Energy with livelihood and income generating activities.
   
7. 
   The pilot testing should preferably be carried out in states where ACE has successful pilots. This would serve as a logical next step activity for widening the base for the entrepreneurs, SHG, NGO who have undergone training on benefits of RET.
   
8. 
   Given the diverse source of supply of RET, MNRE should plan to develop and implement an awareness creation programme for various SPV products with support of Bureau of Energy Efficiency and Bureau of Indian Standards. Awareness creation programme should put emphasis on compliance to Indian standards for Solar photovoltaic panel, Light Emitting Diodes and storage battery etc, among RET manufacturers and integrator ,institutional and retail buyers will need to be carried for at least two to three years.
   
9. 
   Future pilots should be built around hybrid power projects that are combination of SPV lighting systems and biomass gasification for thermal application i.e. to producer gas a clean fuel for cooking purpose in households, rather than power generation.
   
10. 
    Application of biomass gasification systems for power generation should be demonstrated in small and medium rice mills that are spread in large numbers in several UNDAF states. Currently these rice mills use a sub-standard diesel generating set. The objective of these pilot projects should be (a) demonstration of displacement of diesel, and (b) Environmental Impact Assessment from the use of rice-husk gasification systems for power generation, which apparently requires water for cleaning producer gas.
    
11. 
    As SNA are also involved in promoting some of RETs such as solar lights using Light Emitting Diode (LED)s in different combinations, there is wide variety of products that are available in the market having different prices. Therefore there is a need to regularize the market so that consumers get product of good quality For future pilot demonstration projects MNRE and UNDP should make mandatory the compliance of Indian standards for devices and products used in these projects. Bureau of Indian Standards has specified standards for LED and LED based products described in IS No. 16101- 16108 : 2012; standard for tubular lead-acid batteries is IS 13369:1992 which project proponents demonstrating SPV based lighting technology should be asked to comply with. This methodology will help in avoiding sub-standard and low cost products being used that have higher likelihood of failure and also send the signal in the market for adhering to Indian Standards.
    

For reference purpose the coverage of IS 16101 and IS 13369 is included in the following pages.
Following Indian Standards on LED and LED based products have been published in 2012.

Sl No.	IS No	Title
1.	16101 : 2012	General Lighting - LEDs and LED modules – Terms and Definitions
2.	16102(Part 1) : 2012	Self- Ballasted LED-Lamps for General Lighting Services Part 1 Safety Requirements
3	16102(Part 2) : 2012	Self-Ballasted LED-Lamps for General Lighting Services Part 2 Performance Requirements
4	16103(Part 1) : 2012	Led Modules for General Lighting- Safety Requirements
5	15885 (Part2/Sec 13) : 2012	Lamp Control Gear Part 2 Particular Requirements Section 13 d.c. or a.c. Supplied Electronic Controlgear for Led Modules
6	16104 : 2012	d.c. or a.c. Supplied Electronic Control Gear for LED Modules - Performance Requirements
7	16105 : 2012	Method of Measurement of Lumen Maintenance of Solid -State Light (LED) Sources
8	16106 : 2012	Method of Electrical and Photometric Measurements of Solid-State Lighting (Led) Products
9	16108 : 2012	Photobiological Safety of Lamps and Lamp Systems

Indian Standard 13369 : 1992
STATIONARY LEAD-ACID BATTERIES ( WITH TUBULAR POSITIVE PLATES ) IN MONOBLOC CONTAINER — SPECIFICATION

1. 
   Scope
   

This standard specifies Ah capacities, voltage, overall dimensions, performance requirements and tests for stationary lead-acid units ( using tubular positive plates ) in monobloc container.
2 REFERENCES
The Indian Standards listed in below are necessary adjuncts to this standard.
ANNEX A LIST OF REFERRED INDIAN STANDARDS
266 : 1977 Specification for sulphuric acid
1069 : 1964 Specification for water storage
1248( Part2):1983 Specification for direct acting indicating analogue electrical measuring instruments and their accessories

1^ During Country Programme Action Plan 2008-2012, UNDP along with other UN agencies decided to focus on seven states namely, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, often named them as UNDAF states.

2^ Working Group on Power for 11^th Plan report: Section 3.7.1 – Progress of Rural Electrification During Xth Plan

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