2. System Capacity: 2.85KWp

4. Description:

   RRRETs in Asia Project created a totally new impetus and opened up new opportunities not only for CMES's renewable energy program but also in the whole approach of the subject in the country. The necessity for such an effort was being felt in the country's for quite some time specially in the field of solar photovoltaic applications.

The period of pure academic interest in the subject and demonstration in some central sites such as University or research organization campuses, were over. Government took up a big real life project for the rural electrification by solar PV in several villages. But everything was donor driven and all the supplies and most of the consultancies, thus came from the donor country. The economic and technical sustainability's were not considered, thus creating skepticisms.  Commercial companies, on the other hand, saw a viable market in solar PV. But they had only the institutional buyers as their clients, the costs being too high for the people who actually needed the system in the villages. Moreover, the technical issues faced during the routine use at the household level were yet to be identified and addressed - raising serious problems with the customer satisfaction.

  Things were not improving because there were significant lack of knowledge and perception among the relevant people  – policy makers, officials, potential users and public in general. The right kind of dissemination that would generate an understanding and confidence was absent.

RETs in Asia project brought an wonderful opportunity to us to address all these things in a significant scale that could establish replicable models for the country. It started with a survey of existing PV usages in the country to see how this is relevant for the real life rural electrification for the common people. Parts of the problem were of technical nature involving accessories and appliances such as smooth function of ballasts and charge controllers, autonomy and durability of batteries, satisfactory operation of tube lights, availability and usage of other suitable appliances such as fans, and tools. Accessories and appliances form one area where adaptations to local needs in terms of performance and cost can be made. Adaptive researches on these, therefore, formed an important part of the project, developing or adapting appropriate accessories and appliances, and in applicable cases, fabricating them for pilot commercial ventures trying to bring in entrepreneurs for the task. The pilot commercialization whereby viable strategies would be worked out for a large-scale use of solar PV - affordable both by the users and suppliers. All these were accompanied by appropriate training and dissemination which were undertaken at various levels – to create the necessary perceptions, confidence, skills and maintenance abilities among all concerned.

While conducting these focal tasks of the project during its two phases, other supportive activities were undertaken such as a collection of technical and financial details of the programs and businesses being carried out in the country on this field, creation of a network of relevant agencies and to start a process of standardization of the equipment and  process used, etc.