Page 100 - Shashwat - Restoring Green Economy

Feature

98

Introduction

This article discusses the field
intervention through which an
attempt was made to utilize a desert
(unfertilized) land in district Ballia
in Uttar Pradesh for electrical
power generation and production
of vegetables to sustain the
environment and mitigate climate
change risks by using the concept
of a greenhouse-integrated semi-
transparent photovoltaic thermal
(GiSPVT) system. The electrical
energy produced was used to
maintain the temperature and other
parameters for vegetable production.
Additionally, it provided the base
for microgrid in remote areas where
electrical energy was either scarce or
of low power quality being supplied to
nearby homes, schools, and villages.

The Question of
Sustenance 2016). There are two types of PV Greenhouse-
modules, namely, opaque (Tedlar as
In the aftermath of World War II, base) and semi-transparent (glass Integrated Semi-
rapid industrialization, rising as base). The semi-transparent PV Transparent
population, and humanity’s extreme modules have a higher efficiency with Photovoltaic
reliance on fossil fuels led to serious more applications than opaque PV
consequences for the environment. modules due to the overall energy of Thermal System
CO levels and the overall global air the system (Tiwari and Dubey 2010).
2 The project on the greenhouse
temperature increased significantly, If the semi-transparent PV modules integrated semi-transparent
thereby making the survival of are integrated to a greenhouse photovoltaic thermal (GiSPVT)
human beings difficult. Most of the roof, then it is called a greenhouse- system was sanctioned under the
developing and under-developing integrated semi-transparent Mission Innovation (MI) programme
countries are now encouraging the photovoltaic thermal (GiSPVT) for off-grid electrical power
use of renewable energy sources system (Tiwari 2003). A GiSPVT generation of 30 kWp for different
to meet their energy demands in system can provide electrical power packing factors so that the level of
order to sustain the CO levels in the in addition to sunlight through the
2 1 the transmitted solar radiation could
atmosphere and climate (Tiwari and non-packing area for photosynthesis be investigated on plants in a more
Mishra 2011). of plants and thermal energy to scientific manner. In its initial phase,
maintain the air temperature of the
As we all know, one primary source greenhouse. the GiSPVT system, with an effective
of renewable energy is the sun. area of 24.4 m 36.6 m, was installed in
Solar energy can be used as thermal a desert land at Margupur, Chilkahar,
energy as well as electrical power in 1 The packing area of solar cells in a PV and Ballia districts for off-grid power
semi-transparent photovoltaic (PV) module refers to the area of the module that generation and off-season vegetable
is covered with solar cells compared to that
modules (Tiwari, Tiwari, and Shyam which is blank. In this context, the black production. This facility could be
spaces indicate the non-packing area. further utilized for similar field