Deutsche Welle, 18 March 2014
They call
it the Uninterrupted Direct Current and it could be the solution to India's
crippling, rolling power cuts. The UDC guarantees continuous power from the
grid even during outages.
A new
collaboration between the Indian government and the Indian Institute of
Technology in Chennai promises to be a "game changer" in power
starved India. It could spell the end for the country's chronic power outages.
In the
southern state of Tamil Nadu, for instance, long, daily power cuts are common.
They have been crippling for industry and agriculture, disrupting thousands of
micro, small and medium sized enterprises.
"For
the last year or more, because of the power cuts, many of us have suffered,
especially our businesses. Some had to shut shop," says Uday Kumar, a
small businessman from Madurai. "But if the government manages to power up
our lives and give us minimum energy, we will greatly welcome it."
Uday Kumar
is excited about the new technology, which is being tested in homes in four
southern Indian states.
 |
| The added supply will maintain power for essentials, such fans and mobile phone chargers |
The
'uninterrupted direct current' (UDC) promises to provide electricity from the
grid to power basic appliances such as fans, TVs, lights and mobile phone
chargers, despite an outage and when demand is high.
Basic
electricity
It's the
brainchild of Indian Institute of Technology director Bhaskar Ramamurti and
electrical engineering professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, a member of the prime
minister's Science Advisory Council.
Ramamurti
says the UDC aims to provide a minimum of 100 watts of power per day to households,
with the addition of a simple piece of equipment at substations.
"In
the home, you add another small device before the electric meter. So on top of
AC power, we can supply a second output of power at 48 volts DC. This only
gives you 48 volts DC and 100 watts [from the grid], but you get it 24 hours a
day," says Ramamurti.
And in the
event of a power outage, the new system will maintain a minimal supply of
power.
 |
| The UDC: turning a blackout into a "brown out" |
"So
you will have a 'brown out' rather than a blackout," adds Ramamurti.
LED future
The current
flows through a separate meter to power three lights, two fans and a mobile
charger. Consumers who opt for the scheme will have to spend around 1,000 Indian
rupees (12 euros) for the device at home, and buy LED (light emitting diode)
bulbs and fans that run on DC (direct current) power.
Krishna
Vasudevan, an electrical engineer and member of the UDC development team, says
the system will guarantee a constant power supply to millions of homes even
when the grid is overstretched.
"Brushless
fans and LED lights that work on direct current will be powered using this DC
power," says Vasudevan. "It will go a long way to alleviate the
starved situation in India."
And there
is room for expansion.
Private
users can increase their power consumption by connecting a solar panel to the
UDC unit.
But more
than this, the engineers say their system is so strong that large complexes
should consider enhancing basic DC with solar power to reduce dependence on
expensive diesel generators.
 |
| Users are warned when they exceed 100 watts - a bell rings, telling them to turn off a fan or a light |
It could
even run alongside smart meters.
Testing,
testing
All eyes
are on the results of a proof-of-concept demonstration in the four southern
states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
Ashok
Jhunjhunwala says the UDC will be a "game changer" for India.
"I
think it's a very simple idea but real huge gains are possible. So I think if
we do it right, India has a game changer technology," says Jhunjhunwala.
"It has to take it all the way."
When the
pilot project ends in the next few months, work will begin on securing
regulatory approval and developing safety standards.
Then, it is
hoped, the UDC will be rolled out across the country.
No comments:
Post a Comment