This study aims at analysing the meteorological data collected by Nimbkar Agricultural Research I... more This study aims at analysing the meteorological data collected by Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) since 1983. The main objectives were to provide average figures and curves of Phaltan weather, and to identify possible trends since 1983, especially warming. Results show that there is indeed a clear warming trend, but it seems to be influenced by changes in the surroundings of the station (microclimate). Wind velocity and evaporation have also slightly decreased. Increase in plant cover in Phaltan area might have played a role.
Cooking and lighting-the two basic necessities constitute 75% of total energy consumed by rural p... more Cooking and lighting-the two basic necessities constitute 75% of total energy consumed by rural population 1 . A user friendly and quality product to satisfy these needs from locally available resources like biomass can go a long way in improving the quality of life for nearly 3/5 th of mankind. Recent evidence suggests that indoor air pollution from biomass cooking stoves results in nearly 1.6 million deaths worldwide every year 2 . Only provision of clean and modern cooking technology can avert this tragedy. Rural population aspires to the same quality of life as their urban brethren and thus it is a great challenge for scientists and technologists to develop technologies to improve the quality of life of rural poor. I believe the emerging areas of bio and nanotechnology can provide very effective solutions in these areas.
Gandhiji not only gave India its freedom but also gave the world and us a new thought on nonviole... more Gandhiji not only gave India its freedom but also gave the world and us a new thought on nonviolence and sustainable living. His teachings and experiments are more valid today than ever before, especially when we are trying to find solutions to worldwide greed, violence and runaway consumptive lifestyle which are putting a very heavy burden on the world's resources. Through ages India has time and again given to the world a new thought. Thus Buddhism, Jainism, Yogic system, Sikhism are part of the great spiritual thought given by India from time to time. Gandhiji's message of nonviolence and sustainable living is a continuation of that long tradition. To my mind Gandhiji's greatest contribution to sustainable development was two fold. Firstly his experiments in simple living and high thinking. He believed that with simple living the resources of the planet earth can sustain us comfortably and his famous saying that earth provides us enough for our needs but not for our greed is extremely apt today. Secondly his insistence on all inclusive growth of the society and hence his focus on rural development. I will try to show in this essay how both these issues are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago when Gandhiji enumerated them. Gandhi's spirituality Gandhiji was a highly evolved and spiritual human being. To him spirituality came first. Other things like politics, public life etc. were by-products of his spirituality. Also as a person progresses on the path of spirituality, his or her priorities in life change. The focus of life shifts more towards getting personal happiness through mental peace or by helping others and less on material needs, greed and desires. Gandhiji's experiments on simple and sustainable living followed his own spiritual progress. He also realized from an early age the importance of a great body and mind. In this he was following the tenets of ancient Yogic system which stresses on a healthy body and a powerful mind. Thus all his experiments on food, brahmacharya (celibacy) and fasting came from this belief. Besides he also
Historically, technology development for rural areas has followed tinkering approach or use of ru... more Historically, technology development for rural areas has followed tinkering approach or use of rudimentary technology. It is shown that very sophisticated science and technology is needed for producing devices for rural applications. This process can also result in fundamental research. Nevertheless, the availability of efficient devices for cooking, lighting and water purification on a large scale in rural areas is a bottleneck. Various strategies are outlined on how to overcome this barrier. A strong case is made for closer cooperation between the civil society and corporate world for rural development.
A scheme for large-scale dew collection as a source of fresh water supply is outlined in the pres... more A scheme for large-scale dew collection as a source of fresh water supply is outlined in the present paper. The scheme envisages bringing cold seawater (5 C) from about 500 meters depth and about 5 km from the shore, in four, 1.22 m diameter plastic pipes. It then passes through an onshore heat exchanger field with an area of 1.29 X 10 ) where it condenses 643 m of dew over the 24 hour period. The pumping of sea water from the sea and through the field is accomplished by three 200 kW wind machines. Technical and economical feasibility of the scheme is analyzed and the possibility of marine culture as a source of food is explored. The present scheme is economically not feasible as compared to a RO (reverse osmosis) facility of equivalent capacity.
In developing countries like India, use of petrol fuels like furnace oil or light diesel oil to m... more In developing countries like India, use of petrol fuels like furnace oil or light diesel oil to meet the thermal energy demands of industries places a heavy burden on the economy. Use of producer gas from indigenously available agricultural residues is an attractive alternative. This paper reports the commercial scale (1080 MJ h ) development of a low-density biomass gasification system for thermal applications. The gasifier can handle fuels like sugarcane leaves and bagasse, bajra stalks, sweet sorghum stalks and bagasse etc. The system was tested for more than 700 hours under laboratory conditions at 288-1080 MJ h output levels. The HHV of the gas was 3.56-4.82 MJ Nm . The system also produces char, which is about 24% by weight of the original fuel. It can be briquetted to form an excellent fuel for wood stoves or can be used as a soil conditioner. After successful laboratory testing, the system was also tested in a metallurgical company, where it was retrofitted to a specialty ce...
Most cities in India have very high air and noise pollution caused by transport vehicles especial... more Most cities in India have very high air and noise pollution caused by transport vehicles especially petrol/diesel-powered three-wheelers. An improved and electric cycle rickshaw can provide a nonpolluting and very silent transport system for urban and rural areas of India. It can also provide largescale employment to millions of urban and rural poor. NARI has therefore developed two types of rickshaws; a) Improved pedal cycle rickshaw (IMPRA) and b) Motor assisted pedal rickshaw (MAPRA). The details of these rickshaws are given in this paper. It is shown that these rickshaws can provide a safe, environmentally friendly, energy efficient and cost-effective transport system in cities and towns of India. Commercialization, technology, social and policy issues are discussed for large-scale introduction of these rickshaws.
This digital book presents a brief history of renewable energy work carried out since 1981 at Nim... more This digital book presents a brief history of renewable energy work carried out since 1981 at Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). Too often the record of research and development (R&D) is written up as articles in journals and books. The human interest story of the way the research was done, interactions with the stakeholders and the pushes and pulls in doing it are left out of the record. This book is an attempt to record these details. It also shows how R&D can be done in a small rural institute and should provide inspiration to other NGOs who want to do a similar type of work. The aim of the book is to inspire youngsters to enter the field of rural innovations and to provide challenging ideas for research and development to those who already are converts. Dr. Rajvanshi has written in an engaging style about the romance of doing research in rural setting and has shown that with meager resources and few members of staff, very meaningful and satisfying R&D work can be do...
The research work on sweet sorghum carried out at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NA... more The research work on sweet sorghum carried out at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) since 1970s has been summarized. American lines were crossed with a local Indian fodder/grain variety to produce varieties with a juicy stalk and good quality grain. Further breeding was carried out to produce varieties and hybrids giving high yield of good quality grain while retaining the characteristic of juicy stalks high in sugar. Complete development of indigenous technology for fermentation of sweet sorghum juice, solar distillation of ethanol and finally its use as a cooking and lighting fuel in new and improved stoves and lanterns was carried out. The technology of producing jaggery (unrefined sugar) and syrup from sweet sorghum was also developed. Consumer response to these products was assessed by marketing them in limited quantities. A completely automated multifuel gasification system capable of producing thermal output between 120-500 kW was developed for direct heat applications such as those in jaggery and syrup making units. Sweet sorghum bagasse was also tested in an existing paper mill to assess its suitability for paper manufacture. Areas of possible research for better exploitation of sweet sorghum have been suggested.
This study aims at analysing the meteorological data collected by Nimbkar Agricultural Research I... more This study aims at analysing the meteorological data collected by Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) since 1983. The main objectives were to provide average figures and curves of Phaltan weather, and to identify possible trends since 1983, especially warming. Results show that there is indeed a clear warming trend, but it seems to be influenced by changes in the surroundings of the station (microclimate). Wind velocity and evaporation have also slightly decreased. Increase in plant cover in Phaltan area might have played a role.
Cooking and lighting-the two basic necessities constitute 75% of total energy consumed by rural p... more Cooking and lighting-the two basic necessities constitute 75% of total energy consumed by rural population 1 . A user friendly and quality product to satisfy these needs from locally available resources like biomass can go a long way in improving the quality of life for nearly 3/5 th of mankind. Recent evidence suggests that indoor air pollution from biomass cooking stoves results in nearly 1.6 million deaths worldwide every year 2 . Only provision of clean and modern cooking technology can avert this tragedy. Rural population aspires to the same quality of life as their urban brethren and thus it is a great challenge for scientists and technologists to develop technologies to improve the quality of life of rural poor. I believe the emerging areas of bio and nanotechnology can provide very effective solutions in these areas.
Gandhiji not only gave India its freedom but also gave the world and us a new thought on nonviole... more Gandhiji not only gave India its freedom but also gave the world and us a new thought on nonviolence and sustainable living. His teachings and experiments are more valid today than ever before, especially when we are trying to find solutions to worldwide greed, violence and runaway consumptive lifestyle which are putting a very heavy burden on the world's resources. Through ages India has time and again given to the world a new thought. Thus Buddhism, Jainism, Yogic system, Sikhism are part of the great spiritual thought given by India from time to time. Gandhiji's message of nonviolence and sustainable living is a continuation of that long tradition. To my mind Gandhiji's greatest contribution to sustainable development was two fold. Firstly his experiments in simple living and high thinking. He believed that with simple living the resources of the planet earth can sustain us comfortably and his famous saying that earth provides us enough for our needs but not for our greed is extremely apt today. Secondly his insistence on all inclusive growth of the society and hence his focus on rural development. I will try to show in this essay how both these issues are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago when Gandhiji enumerated them. Gandhi's spirituality Gandhiji was a highly evolved and spiritual human being. To him spirituality came first. Other things like politics, public life etc. were by-products of his spirituality. Also as a person progresses on the path of spirituality, his or her priorities in life change. The focus of life shifts more towards getting personal happiness through mental peace or by helping others and less on material needs, greed and desires. Gandhiji's experiments on simple and sustainable living followed his own spiritual progress. He also realized from an early age the importance of a great body and mind. In this he was following the tenets of ancient Yogic system which stresses on a healthy body and a powerful mind. Thus all his experiments on food, brahmacharya (celibacy) and fasting came from this belief. Besides he also
Historically, technology development for rural areas has followed tinkering approach or use of ru... more Historically, technology development for rural areas has followed tinkering approach or use of rudimentary technology. It is shown that very sophisticated science and technology is needed for producing devices for rural applications. This process can also result in fundamental research. Nevertheless, the availability of efficient devices for cooking, lighting and water purification on a large scale in rural areas is a bottleneck. Various strategies are outlined on how to overcome this barrier. A strong case is made for closer cooperation between the civil society and corporate world for rural development.
A scheme for large-scale dew collection as a source of fresh water supply is outlined in the pres... more A scheme for large-scale dew collection as a source of fresh water supply is outlined in the present paper. The scheme envisages bringing cold seawater (5 C) from about 500 meters depth and about 5 km from the shore, in four, 1.22 m diameter plastic pipes. It then passes through an onshore heat exchanger field with an area of 1.29 X 10 ) where it condenses 643 m of dew over the 24 hour period. The pumping of sea water from the sea and through the field is accomplished by three 200 kW wind machines. Technical and economical feasibility of the scheme is analyzed and the possibility of marine culture as a source of food is explored. The present scheme is economically not feasible as compared to a RO (reverse osmosis) facility of equivalent capacity.
In developing countries like India, use of petrol fuels like furnace oil or light diesel oil to m... more In developing countries like India, use of petrol fuels like furnace oil or light diesel oil to meet the thermal energy demands of industries places a heavy burden on the economy. Use of producer gas from indigenously available agricultural residues is an attractive alternative. This paper reports the commercial scale (1080 MJ h ) development of a low-density biomass gasification system for thermal applications. The gasifier can handle fuels like sugarcane leaves and bagasse, bajra stalks, sweet sorghum stalks and bagasse etc. The system was tested for more than 700 hours under laboratory conditions at 288-1080 MJ h output levels. The HHV of the gas was 3.56-4.82 MJ Nm . The system also produces char, which is about 24% by weight of the original fuel. It can be briquetted to form an excellent fuel for wood stoves or can be used as a soil conditioner. After successful laboratory testing, the system was also tested in a metallurgical company, where it was retrofitted to a specialty ce...
Most cities in India have very high air and noise pollution caused by transport vehicles especial... more Most cities in India have very high air and noise pollution caused by transport vehicles especially petrol/diesel-powered three-wheelers. An improved and electric cycle rickshaw can provide a nonpolluting and very silent transport system for urban and rural areas of India. It can also provide largescale employment to millions of urban and rural poor. NARI has therefore developed two types of rickshaws; a) Improved pedal cycle rickshaw (IMPRA) and b) Motor assisted pedal rickshaw (MAPRA). The details of these rickshaws are given in this paper. It is shown that these rickshaws can provide a safe, environmentally friendly, energy efficient and cost-effective transport system in cities and towns of India. Commercialization, technology, social and policy issues are discussed for large-scale introduction of these rickshaws.
This digital book presents a brief history of renewable energy work carried out since 1981 at Nim... more This digital book presents a brief history of renewable energy work carried out since 1981 at Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). Too often the record of research and development (R&D) is written up as articles in journals and books. The human interest story of the way the research was done, interactions with the stakeholders and the pushes and pulls in doing it are left out of the record. This book is an attempt to record these details. It also shows how R&D can be done in a small rural institute and should provide inspiration to other NGOs who want to do a similar type of work. The aim of the book is to inspire youngsters to enter the field of rural innovations and to provide challenging ideas for research and development to those who already are converts. Dr. Rajvanshi has written in an engaging style about the romance of doing research in rural setting and has shown that with meager resources and few members of staff, very meaningful and satisfying R&D work can be do...
The research work on sweet sorghum carried out at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NA... more The research work on sweet sorghum carried out at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) since 1970s has been summarized. American lines were crossed with a local Indian fodder/grain variety to produce varieties with a juicy stalk and good quality grain. Further breeding was carried out to produce varieties and hybrids giving high yield of good quality grain while retaining the characteristic of juicy stalks high in sugar. Complete development of indigenous technology for fermentation of sweet sorghum juice, solar distillation of ethanol and finally its use as a cooking and lighting fuel in new and improved stoves and lanterns was carried out. The technology of producing jaggery (unrefined sugar) and syrup from sweet sorghum was also developed. Consumer response to these products was assessed by marketing them in limited quantities. A completely automated multifuel gasification system capable of producing thermal output between 120-500 kW was developed for direct heat applications such as those in jaggery and syrup making units. Sweet sorghum bagasse was also tested in an existing paper mill to assess its suitability for paper manufacture. Areas of possible research for better exploitation of sweet sorghum have been suggested.
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