ALTERNATE SOURCE OF ENERGY

 ALTERNATE SOURCE OF ENERGY

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

25/IX/2024

 

Solar Energy fascinated me since childhood. It was unbelievable at first that electricity could be produced from the sun. It took me back to my school days, when we were introduced to ‘photoelectric cells’ and how they work and how will it be beneficial to the earth and society.

 

Water energy we had witnessed first hand during a school educational tour to the Bhakra Nangal Dam in Punjab.

 

Harnessing wind energy was also interesting. This we practically experienced during a bike hike to Lonavala from NDA Khadakwasla, Pune. We were tired, exhausted, and still short of our destination and still pedaling our way up those steep curves of the Ghat. Suddenly, it started to rain and the wind too joined the fun.

 

We quickly pulled out our ‘raincapes’ to avoid getting wet. Cycling with a raincoat on is a big pain but then something happened. The storm pushed us from behind and the raincoat became our sail. Raindrops hid our sweat and it was smooth sailing till INS Shivaji, unless we changed directions due to curves in the road which made us go against the wind. We learnt sailing but on bicycles.

 

One got posted to Ja-Sale-Mer way back in 1985. We had a small windmill behind the bachelors complex, which was quite irritating as it kept going “Khach-Khach-Khach’ chopping the wind day and night. Well, people got used to jets flying over head, we got used to sleeping in that music. One extra ‘thullo’ would do the trick to drown our sorrows and that noise.

 

We were told that it will generate electricity. We had only heard of windmills from text books, being chased by Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. This one was chased by our unit NCO good at electricals. He put batteries in series to be charged. Results were not so good.

 

One had just come back after ‘Radio Course’ where battery charging was taught to us. I used to love the term ‘Trickle Charge’, which I always called ‘tickle charge’ just for fun. Ustad would keep correcting me, but it generated humour in the class.

 

I asked the unit NCO, “kitna kamyab hai ye panchakki battery charging ke liye”? To which he replied, saab satyanaas kar diya battery ka. Kyon? I was inquisitive. Saab, jab hawa chalta hai to ye charge karta hai, jab hawa band hota hai to ye ulta ghoomta rahta hai aur battery discharge kar deta hai. Ab cut out switch lagaya hai. I laughed my guts out.

 

I didn’t have the guts to tell him a secret. Many friends visiting Jaisalmer would stay with us. They would ask about this ‘pankha without a purpose’. Yaar ye hawa kis ko deta hai? Those days our unit was a “hush-hush” thing. We would ‘pill’ to them that this is a surveillance device in guise of a windmill. Soon we would be able to peep deep into Pakistan. Friends used to get impressed.

 

One day, a giant windmill was installed in the BSF location in Jaisalmer. Ours was not even a pygmy infront of it. By now wind power harnessing was taking shape. During our recent visit to Jaisalmer, it was a treat to see hundreds of windmills generating power.

 

The power of wind one realised while paratrooping. During my first jump, my chute drifted over another parachute below me. His chute collapsed and I slid below him alongside his chute. Now, his shoot ‘bellowed’ and mine ‘candled’ as there was vacuum created due his chute deploying. Luckily, a draft of wind separated us just before landing. That is when one realised what wind can do. I had a very hard touch down and hurt myself.

 

Later during a ‘demo jump’, we drifted miles from the DZ. Some fell in sugarcane fields; some went across the Yamuna. Some landed on the VIP enclosure. Luckily, no one was hurt.

 

Be that as it may. Soon we would be proud owners of solar panels which will generate energy and give it back to the grid. Once things fall in place, units produced and units consumed would cancel out. If the units produced are more than our consumption, then they would be carried forward in our account and utilised when our consumption is more.

 

Government is smart. It gives you electricity at ₹8.37 per unit but credits you at ₹2.85 per unit approx. Nevertheless, with a small house hold we need not worry. We shall have a zero bill within three to four months and break even in a few years. Plus, the government gives a handsome subsidy for installation of the solar panel system.

 

We should give back whatever we can to the society, though our contribution is miniscule. Waiting to see our electricity bill become zero. How soon will it be? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

 JAI HIND 

©® NOEL ELLIS