Energy Research Applications (ERA)is a
science and technology (S & T) based organization registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
ERA came into existence in the year 1995 as a result of efforts put in by scientists' and technologists from l.l.T. Kanpur & l.l.T. Delhi with the objective to harness the S & T for masses at large. Our team members have been contributing excellent research and development work and awarded prestigious Hari Om Bhatnagar award, European Community Fellowships, Young Scientist Fellowship, etc. for research, innovation and proven technologies. ERA has received international recognition in the field of energy research and its applications. Two patented technologies are in the credit of ERA in collaboration with Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt, of India.
ERA has been instrumental in working closely with the women groups to reduce drudgery and check the release of Green House Gases (GHG) and in reinforcing its commitment of energy conservation in traditional inefficient systems and technologies in the cottage industries and households.
Geographical area
H.P., Uttarakhand, M.P., Chattisgarh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, A.P., Kerela, Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand, West Bengal.
No of Beneficiaries
12 Partners in Country - 10,000 HHs.
Project Background: Despite rapid growth of commercial energy, biomass remains the principal energy source in rural and traditional sectors. In absolute terms, fuel wood and dung cake still retain a major share (61.5% and 15.4% respectively- Census:2001) of the domestic sector.
Energy Cake Technology converts bio-mass (including powdery agro-wastes and excluding cattle dung) into smokeless higl(Tmax > 500degree C) energy source for cooking, heating etc. This technology produces fuel at less cost, less cooking time, less drudgery and less infrastructure.
Production of these fuels synchronizes the iocai resources (all types of agricultural wastes/ biomass); need of focal low cost renewable smokeless rut I «md local opportunity of employment with additional income.
Project Objective: The aim of this project is to create a$ralternate sustainable fuel and to build an entrepreneurial and management capacity of rural women groups to own and manage pilot energy enterprise at village levels. The objective is to scale up and replicate this ERA Model of Urja Cake to the GEF UNDP SGP partners in the country and other potential developing countries.
Project Rational: The project on"Urja Cake" innovated by ERA i& not only cost effective, easy to manage and sustainable but easily adaptable to any given rewrote and inaccessible area. It is envisaged to be up scaled to 12 Small Grant Programme (SGP) and Department of Science & Technology (DST) (Govt, of India) partners from six zones of India by ERA. Country wide network of SGP and testing technology with different biomass from different geographical areas are the two factors to select 12 partners from the country. The partners are:
Project Activities:
Technical Back-up Unit: Setting up of Technical Back up Unit for Energy Cake Technology at Gurgaon (Haryana) /Ranchi (Jharkhand).
Building Partnership:
Identify the 12 partners in discussion with SGP team in the respective areas
Contacts with all SGP partners by ERA for better performance and mutual understanding
Visit and have discussion on the systems' establishments with each of the identified partners, village communities, self help groups in local areas
Set up of 12 Urja Cake units with the SHGs in villages with the respective NGOs
Agree an MOU with each of the partners for training, maintenance, knowledge sharing and carbon credit.
Training of 12 SGP partners:
Partner organizations to identify the trainees in the concerned communities.
Two training programmes (3 days duration) for each of the partners, one during the installation of the unit and one after 2/3 months of the unit at their door step.
Regular feedback & monitoring mechanism to be set up with partners.
Exposure visit of 2 representatives of the communities and 2 of the NGOs to the technology back up unit.
Knowledge Management of Technology:
4 workshops to be held in different regions for wider application of technology with other SGP and related partners. Practical demonstration, use of technology, marketing and technical details of Urja Cake will be the hallmark of the workshops.
Urja Cake Technology:
The technology has four stages of production namely:
Preparation of agro-waste char: The charring unit is a drum (20 litre capacity) with a conical grate with fixed chimney, a telescopic removable chimney and top cover with water seal arrangement It can be used for almost all local agro-waste materials, even powdery like bumda (Bajra wastes). In this unit, depending upon type of material, about 40 - 100 kg can be carbonised to give 30 - 35% yield of charred material over a period of 2 - 3 hours.
Mixing of Moist char with clay: About 20% clay is mixed with agro-waste char. Clay acts as a binder and energy extender.
Production of cake from the agro-waste char: The mixture having sufficient moisture is put into the mould. The mould has three parts: (a) bottom plate with protruding rods, (b) cylinder to fit bottom plate and (c) a perforated plate. The char cakes thus made are then sun dried and subsequently used in locally available ordinary and simple chu I ha.
Use of clean char cakes: The char cake thus made out of wastes is easi ly ignitable. This is gently placed on the grate. Dry leaves etc. are placed below the grate and ignited. In about 3 to 4 minutes the flames from the combusting leaves ignite the bottom end of the cake. After a short while the flame starts coming up through the holes. The heat thus generated can be used according to one's requirement. When the char cake is about to be burnt out, a second one can be placed over the first one in such a manner that the holes in both the cakes match each other.
Note : 1-6 Signify the sequence of Urja Cake production to its use.
Live demonstrations of clean fuels by establishing 12 Units with GEF UNDP SGPpartners: The production centers will give live demonstration of technology. This technology primarily caters to rural population as it is based on local wastes. It is simple in operation and capable of producing quality low cost fuel. Capacity building of the local NGO and communities for production/ management and monitoring of units: This will ensure ownership and enable women to be beneficiaries by using the Urja (Energy) Cakes and be managers of the enterprises. This technology wi 11 also be proliferated through the wide network of civil society by Centre for Environment Education (CEE) in collaboration with Energy Research Applications (ERA).
Potential Impact:
This project envisages a win-win situation for all stakeholders in three ways namely
environmental sustainability: reducing cooking load on coal, fuel wood and dung cake, preserving natural resources and minimizing pollution;
economic sustainability:low cost, energy efficiency, easy to manage and adopt in local conditions;
social sustainability: poverty alleviation, women empowerment and reduction in smoke and drudgery of fuel wood collection for women for better health and living conditions.
Salient Features :
Dr. A. K. Singh Project Co-ordinator Energy Research Applications
Energy House, Plot No. 294,
Sector 39, Gurgaon, Haryana
Ph.: 0124-2380194, Fax 0124-4270735
Mob.: 09311380194
Email:energyresapp@sify.com
