Decentralized SHP projects
The rural energy scenario in India is characterized by inadequate, poor and unreliable supply of energy services. Realizing the fact that mini hydropower projects can provide a solution for the energy problem in rural, remote and hilly areas where extension of grid system is comparatively uneconomical, promoting mini hydro projects is one of the objectives of the small hydro Power programme in India. A number of mini/micro hydro projects have been set up in remote and isolated areas, mainly in Himalayan region. While these projects are developed by various state agencies responsible for renewable energy, the projects are normally maintained with local community participation. A number of tea garden owners have also set up such micro hydro projects to meet their captive requirement of power.
Water wheels, have traditionally been used in the Himalayan regions for rice hulling, milling of grain and other mechanical applications. These water mills are normally of very old design and work at very low efficiencies. It has been estimated that there are more than 1.5 lakh potential water mill sites in the Himalayan regions of India. With the R&D efforts, new and improved designs of water mills have been developed for mechanical as well as electricity generation of 3-5 kW. These designs were tested at AHEC, IIT Roorkee and have been replicated by 6-7 small scale manufacturers. Local organizations such as the Water Mill Associations, cooperative societies, registered NGOs, local bodies, and State Nodal Agencies are being encouraged to install watermills in their areas. A number of NGOs are now propagating water mills for electricity generation to meet small scale electrical requirements of villages. The state of Uttaranchal has taken a lead in setting up electricity generation watermills and over 500 such watermills were installed in remote and isolated areas of the state. A mass movement with community participation to install electricity generating watermills is now underway in Uttaranchal.