INTRODUCTION
Tanot village in Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan, India, is one of the most under-developed
villages in rural Rajasthan. It covers an area of 74,295.5 hectares, has a population of only 249
(32 households), and has absolutely no power supply (Census of India, Jaisalmer, 1991). It
remains cut off from the outside world and has no means of advancing itself. The Government of
Rajasthan is launching an ambitious irrigation project to advance agriculture in the state, but
Tanot will not be able to use the project to its full advantage if it has no access to power
resources. See Appendices C and D for a map of the region and for pictures of villagers.
The village lies in an arid region of Rajasthan that is prone to violent sandstorms (Refer
to Appendix G for weather data on sandstorms). The mean maximum temperature during the
summer lies between 40.5 and 42 degrees Celsius. Winter lasts for only three short months and
the mean maximum temperature falls to 24.5 degrees Celsius (Sen, 1972). The region has very
low humidity due to which the air is generally very dry (Rajasthan District Gazetteers, 1973) (See
Appendix F for temperature data).
Winds are generally light in the post-monsoon and winter months. For the rest of the
year, winds are moderate getting slightly stronger in the southwest monsoon period. May to
September, winds are mainly from directions from south and southwest. In October, winds are
light and variable in direction. During the rest of the year, winds are from directions between
southwest and northwest (See Appendix E for wind data).
See Appendix H for a table of the latest weather conditions in Jaisalmer.
PROPOSAL
We propose to design a power system for the village that is based on renewable sources
of energy. Renewable sources of energy are preferred over non-renewable sources so as to ensure
minimum damage to the environment and to provide the most economical long term power at
minimal cost. At present, the average per capita domestic consumption of electricity in India is
1
360 KWh (Council of Power Utilities, 2000). Taking into calculation that there are 32 households
in the village, projected per capita consumption for the village is 11,520 KWh.
METHODOLOGY: CRITERIA AND SOLUTIONS
CRITERIA FOR INITIAL DESIGN
1. The cost to kilowatt hour ratio should be affordable. The present power tariff in
Rajasthan is Rs. 0.80 per Unit (USD 0.016)
2. It should be ecologically friendly
3. Should be based on renewable sources of energy
4. Should be simple enough for locally trained technicians to maintain
5. Should be durable .i.e. have a life of 10-15 years
6. Should be able to withstand the harsh weather conditions
INITIAL SOLUTIONS
The first solution to the problem, which jumps to mind, would be to connect the village to
the central electric grid. This however, though theoretically plausible, is not a very viable solution
due to the great distance of the village from the nearest such grid. This would result in great
transmission losses. The percentage energy loss during transmission in the state is 26.42 %
(Central Electricity Authority, 1998). This also provides chances for power theft. Power pilferage
in the state was estimated at 154.56 GWh in 1998, which is the second highest in the country
(Central Electricity Authority, 1998). The distance also leads to more expensive customer support
and equipment maintenance. The low population density, the difficult terrain and low
consumption makes this scheme difficult and costly to implement.
Another approach is the use of diesel or kerosene generators. We have not chosen to use
this method because we are aiming for a solution that would not rely entirely upon the use of nonrenewable sources of energy. We do however plan to look at the possibility of incorporating the
use of such generators with our final design to ensure year-round availability of power.
2
Another solution that we considered was the use of biogas. We decided to discard it too
because it would require extensive biomass, the majority of which would have to be provided by
the cutting down of trees. The village population stands only at 249, which would not be enough
to produce the required biomass.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
Solar cells or Photovoltaic cells would be a good choice as a source of power in the
region. PV systems are usually placed close to where the electricity is used, requiring much
shorter power lines than if power is brought in from a utility grid. In addition, using PV
eliminates the need for a step-down transformer from the utility line. A typical single crystal
silicon PV cell of 100 cm2 will produce about 1.5 watts of power at 0.5 volts DC and 3 amps
under full sunlight (1000 Wm2). The power output of the cell is almost directly proportional to
the intensity of the sunlight. Capital costs are in the range of $1000-$1500 per KW (Aurora,
http://aurora.crest.org).
Problems that we foresee with the use of solar cells include the possibility of damage to
the panels due to the sandstorms that blow in the region. We plan to research this topic and look
into various methods that we can adopt to protect the panels. However, the present 'sandwich'
construction is so durable that all manufacturers of PV panels now offer a 10 year performance
warranty.
Wind energy also seems an attractive choice given the high winds that prevail in the area.
Energy yield ratios up to 75.89 have been found for wind energy systems. Because of this, they
appear at first glance to be the most viable option. Winds in the sandstorms that prevail in this
region often exceed speeds of 10 mph. A 1.5 KW turbine would meet the requirement of 300 KW
per hour with a 14mph wind. Turbines would also be comparatively cheaper than solar cells and
would be easier to maintain. For stand alone turbines, the costs range from 8-30 cents per KWh
(National Wind Technology Center, http://www.eren.doe.gov).
3
The immediate problem that we foresee with wind turbines is the direction that they have
to be oriented in. Some turbines require to be directed upwind while others require being directed
downwind (US Department of Energy, http://www.eren.doe.gov). Maintenance costs are also
higher than those of solar cells.
DECISION MATRIX
ALTERNATIVE
SOLUTIONS
ADVANTAGES
Create a central electric
grid to power the village
Withstand harsh
conditions, simpler
Use of Kerosene and
diesel generators
Low maintenance costs,
reliable, withstand harsh
conditions
Eco-friendly,
Use of a bio-gas
SOLUTIONS
Use of Solar Energy
(photovoltaic cells)
Use of Wind Energy
ADVANTAGES
Eco-friendly, require
shorter power lines, lower
maintenance cost than
wind turbines
Eco-friendly, provides
free electricity once
investment cost is paid off
DISADVANTAGES
Power theft, high maintenance
cost, expensive customer service,
transmission losses
Not Eco-friendly
Requires extensive bio-mass
DISADVANTAGES
Damage due to sandstorms, does
not provide power 24 hours a day
Orientation of the system, higher
maintenance cost than PV cells,
death of birds.
CONSTRAINTS
The biggest problem that we are going to face in our design project is the remoteness of
the village. It is located in one of the most desolate parts of the country. The nearest town is 119
km away (Census of India, Rajasthan, 1991). This would make it difficult for customer support
and maintenance. The fact that this is also a very small and obscure village makes it very hard for
us to obtain statistical data about it. To circumvent this problem, we had to consider the weather
data that we obtained on the district as that of the village. We also had to apply data from an
4
average village model to this particular village.
Another problem that we will face is the exchange rate. Our proposed solution is a
financially viable one in the US market. However, in India, where a dollar is worth 48.71 rupees,
it may not be as affordable.
The harsh desert environment will also play a major role in deciding our solution. Our
final design should be one that can withstand the fierce desert storms that prevail in the region.
The main problem with renewable sources of energy is that they are not available 24
hours a day. So we will have to find a way to solve this problem or at least minimize its effect.
SURVEY OF LITERATURE
The research mainly focused on three different aspects of the project: 1) the census of the
village for background and energy requirements, 2) solar energy production and applications and
3) wind energy production and applications.
1) Village information and energy requirements.
Census of India, 1991. Series 21, Rajasthan. A portrait of population prepared by
Directorate of Census Operations, Rajasthan was referred to obtain information
on the population of Tanot.
India: Public Electricity Supply, 1998. All India Statistics: General Review
published by the Central Electricity Authority, New Delhi provided us with
information on transmission losses and pilferage.
India Power, 2000. Vol 8 prepared by the Council of Power Utilities, India was
consulted to obtain data on the average per capita consumption of electricity and
the cost of one unit of electricity.
Agricultural Atlas of Rajasthan, 1972. Indian Council of Agricultural Research
by A.K. Sen provided us with information on geographical and weather
conditions of Tanot
5
2) Solar energy production and applications.
Solar Energy: Technology and Applications by Dr. J. Richard Williams was an
excellent source for understanding possible approaches to the conversion of
sunlight into electricity. It provides information about collecting heat during the
daytime and later using it to operate power plant or to produce chemical fuel
Solar Electricity by Tomas Markvart provided us with information on the
mechanics and engineering of solar cells and their uses and applications
3) Wind energy production and applications.
The Generation of Electricity by Wind Power by E. W. Golding and R. I. Harris
provided us with the information regarding estimation of the energy obtainable
from the wind, the economy of wind power generation and the construction costs
for wind-driven generators.
Wind turbines: Fundamentals, Technologies, Applications, Economics by Erich
Hau provided in-depth information on the working and dynamics of wind
turbines.
PROPOSED PROCEDURE
Having narrowed down our choices to the use of either solar cells or wind turbines, we
now plan to go ahead with these two power sources. We now plan to do extensive research into
both kinds of energy. One problem we have faced in our research so far, are conflicting costs for
both the solar cells and wind turbines. We will look into the different kinds of PV cells and
turbines out on the market and make a selection that conforms to our criteria and is the best
choice given the prevailing local weather conditions.
We are also looking into the possibility of a combination of PV cells and wind turbines.
This would require research into electronic circuits to figure out a way to combine them.
6
PROJECT DELIVERABLES
At the end of our design period, we will deliver plans for a power system that is primarily
based on a renewable source of energy. We will provide a projected power supply, for the system,
that would meet much of the estimated power needs of the village. We would consider ourselves
successful if we were able to provide a per capita supply of 280 KWh .i.e. 8,960 units of energy
for the entire village for a year.
See Appendix I for the definitions of the terms used.
INVOICE OF WORK
See Appendix A for a Time Line showing the proposed schedule of work.
BUDGET FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES
The proposed budget for this project is presented in the chart below. Overhead charges
include materials required, equipment rental and any outside consultant fees. They are calculated
by multiplying the total pay of all the individuals by 2.
Individual
Trushit Oza
Aby John
Pritesh Patel
Jignesh Patel
Paras Shah
Position
Hourly Rate
$39.00
$32.00
$28.00
$28.00
$28.00
Supervising Engineer
Project Coord inator
Specialist
Specialist
Specialist
Weekly pay total
Total pay (w eekly *17 w eeks)
Overhead (*2)
Total cost of project
Hours per w eek
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Weekly pay
$390.00
$320.00
$280.00
$280.00
$280.00
$1,550.00
$26,350.00
$52,700.00
$79,050.00
FUNDING
We plan to seek funding from the Government of India and/or charitable agencies to help
set up this project in the village. We also hope that the Village Council of Tanot and the District
Council of Jaisalmer would be willing to finance 10% of the project.
Our hope is that the project will recover its investment in 5 years and from then on
provide virtually free electricity.
7
QUALIFICATIONS
Oza Energy Associated is a fledgling engineering firm founded in November, 2001 by
Mr. Trushit Oza for the purpose of completing the Freshman Design Project at Drexel University.
Initially the idea was to have four principals in the firm. All the principals came together in the
Introduction to Art of Engineering class and the team was formed. Due to the length and the
intensity of project, it was determined that a project coordinator would be required. Hence Aby
John was added to the already formed team of Trushit Oza, Pritesh Patel, Paras Shah and Jignesh
Patel. The principals, consisting of a supervising engineer, three specialists, and a project
coordinator, have varying backgrounds and skills in different fields of engineering and hence
contributing to every aspect of the design. This team was formed by prior interactions during the
academic year.
For the resumes of the principals, please see Appendix B.
8
WORKS CITED
Central Electricity Authority. (1998). India: Public electricity supply, All India statistics:
General review 1997-1998. New Delhi: Government of India.
Compare Infobase Private Limited. (2001). Jaisalmer district map. Maps of India, 2000-2001.
[Online] Available HTTP://mapsofindia.com/maps/rajasthan/districts/jaisalmer.htm;
[January 27, 2002].
Council of Power. (2000). India power, Volume VIII. New Delhi: Government of India.
Government of India. (1991). Census atlas, Census of India, Rajasthan, Series 21, Part XI. New
Delhi: Controller of Publications, Civil Lines.
Government of India. (1991). Census of India, Rajasthan, Jaisalmer, 1991, Part XII A&B. New
Delhi: General Administration Department, Government of Rajasthan.
Government of India. (1973). Rajasthan district gazetteers – Jaisalmer. Jaipur: Government
Central Press.
Sen, A.K. (1972). Agricultural atlas of Rajasthan. New Delhi: Controller of Publications, Civil
Lines.
WORKS CONSULTED
Golding, E. W., & Harris, R. I. (1976). The generation of electricity by wind power. New York:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Hau, E. (2000). Wind turbines: Fundamentals, technologies, applications, economics. Berlin:
Springer Press.
Jenkins, N., & Walker, J. F. (1997). Wind energy technology. New York: John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
Markvart, T. (2000). Solar electricity. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Williams, J. R. (1977). Solar energy: Technology and applications. Ann Arbor: Ann Arbor
Science Publishers Inc.
9
APPENDIX A
Tim e Line
Legend
Com p leted Tasks
Critical Dates
X
X
10
V
A
C
A
T
I
O
N
:-)
!
!
!
!
!
!
X
X
Week 19
Week 20
Week 18
Week 16
May
Week 17
Week 15
Week 13
Week 14
Ap ril
Week 12
Week 10
Week 11
Week 9
Week 7
X
March
Week 8
Week 6
Week 4
Febru ary
Week 5
Week 3
Week 1
Form team
Pick ad visor
Problem d efinition statem ent d u e
Research
Prop osal
Research alternative solu tions
Make d ecision on final solu tion
Calcu lations of Pow er Prod u ction cap acity of final d esign
Research on d u rability of d esign in village environm ent
Com e u p w ith alternatives if d esign d oes not m eet
Final Calcu lations, Find ings and Rep orts
Prep aration of oral rep ort
Oral Presentation
Prep aration of final rep ort
Final Rep ort
Week 2
Janu ary
APPENDIX B - Resumes
Jignesh Patel
Apt AA5
1405 New Rodgers Rd
Bristol, PA 19007
215-826-8838
Jignesh.B.Patel@drexel.edu
————————————————————————————————————
EDUCATION
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Anticipated Graduation Date: June 2006
Cumulative GPA: 3.1
HONORS
Who' who in American high schools
COMPUTER SKILLS
Hardware: IBM compatibles and Macintoshes
Software: Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint & LabVIEW, maple, Lotus,
Quattro
Operating System: Windows 95/98/2000/Millenium
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
TDEC, Physical foundation of Engineering I, II
TDEC, Chemical foundation of Engineering I, II
TDEC, Mathematical foundation for Engineering I, II
Humanities and Communication
Art of Engineering: Designing Labs I, II
EXPERIENCE
SUBWAY, 4029, Bristol, PA
Managing, Supervising and handling cash, June 2000-February 2001
• Run the whole store
• Handling cash
INTERPRINT, Levittown, PA
Assembly, June 2001- September 2001
• Packaging all the magazines and Newspapers
• Performed general Office Documentary
REFERENCE
Ms.Manes, Harry S Truman High School
Mathmanes@aol.com
11
Trushit Oza
2819 Kate Ave Apt G5
Bensalem, PA 19020
215-432-2363
Trushit.R.Oza@drexel.edu
————————————————————————————————————
EDUCATION
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Anticipated Graduation - June
2006
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
Engineering Chemistry I & II
Engineering Biology
Engineering Design & Lab I, II & III
Engineering Physics I, II & III
Engineering Calculus I, II & III
Introduction to Visual Basic
EXPERIENCE
Wireless Xcessories, Inc., Philadelphia, PA
Picker, June 2001 to August 2001
• Picked ordered parts from wholesale packages from the warehouse for retail
packaging.
• Involved in inventory of parts for stock estimations.
K-Mart, Bensalem, PA
Cashier, May 1999 to August 1999
• Handled cash obtained from the customers for items sold.
• Organized the returned merchandise and retuned it to the respective departments.
• Worked in different departments as a sales representative when short of manpower.
COMPUTER SKILLS
SOFTWARE: Microsoft Office, Microsoft FrontPage and Maple.
OPERATING SYSTEMS: Windows 2000/98/95 and Windows NT, MAC O/S 9.
LANGUAGES: Visual Basic, HTML, LabView and AutoCAD.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Received first award at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS) at
regional and state levels.
Received honorable mention in the Delaware County Science Fair.
REFERENCES
Mr. Christopher Sterman, Teacher, Bensalem High School.
Email: csterman@snip.net, Phone: (215) 396-9643.
Mr. Harry Rayan, Warehouse Manager, Wireless Xcessories, Inc.
Phone: (215) 322-2077.
12
Aby John
East Hall Apt 318 A
115 N 32nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-571-3540
Aby.John@drexel.edu
______________________________________________________________________________________
Education
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, June, 2006
G.P.A : 4.0
Honors and Awards
• Gold Medal - University of New South Wales Examination, Science - 2000
• Gold Medal - University of New South Wales Examination, English - 1999, 2001
• Dean's Scholarship - Drexel University - 2001-06
• Freshman Writing Contest - Honorable Mention - 2001
• Honors - English, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics - 2000
• Honors - Top 0.1 % All India Secondary School Examination, Computer Science 2001
• Member of the Drexel University Honors Program 2001-Present
• Honors - Gulf Computer Science Olympiad - 2001
Experience
MES Indian School, Doha, Qatar
Literary Activities Secretary, April 1999 - March 2001
• Coordinated and conducted Literary Activities for the school
• Helped bring out the annual school magazine
Relevant Coursework
Physics and Engineering I,II,III
Chemistry and Engineering I,II,III
Mathematics and Engineering I,II,III
Introduction to the Art of Engineering I,II,III
Humanities and Communications I,II,III
Computer Skills
• Hardware : IBM, Macintosh
• Software : Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Maple, Labview
• Programming Languages : G, 2 years C++
13
Paras Shah
115 Charter Ct
Trevose, PA 19053
Paras.D.Shah@drexel.edu
————————————————————————————————————
Education
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, June 2006
GPA : 4.0
Honors and Awards
• Who's Who in American High Schools, 2000-2001
• Recipient of the A.J. Drexel Scholarship January 2001
• Recipient of the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship June 2001
• Dean's List, Drexel University, Academic years 2001-Present
• Member of the Drexel University Honors Program 2001-Present
Relevant Coursework
Physics and Engineering I, II
Chemistry and Engineering I, II
Mathematics and Engineering I, II, III
Introduction to the Art of Engineering I, II
Humanities and Communications I, II
Computer Skills
• Hardware: IBM, Macintosh
• Software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, ClarisWorks, Maple,
LabView
• Operating Systems: Windows 2000, 98, NT, MacOs
• Programming Languages: Visual Basic
14
Pritesh Patel
Apt A 4
829 Moyers Rd
Lansdale, PA 19446
215-855-5682
Pritesh.K.Patel@drexel.edu
Education
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Anticipated Graduation - June, 2006
Cumulative GPA: 3.61
Honors/Awards
• Physics Bowl Competition 3rd place.
• Dean's List, Drexel University, Academic year Fall 2001.
Experience
Hartford Insurance Company, Ambler, PA
Claim Handler, June, 2000 to May, 2001
• Process claims
• Film claims
Relevant Coursework
Physical Foundation of Engineering I,II
Chemical Foundation of Engineering I,II
Mathematical Foundation of Engineering I,II
Introduction to the Art of Engineering I,II
Humanities and Communication I,II
Computer Skills
• Hardware: IBM, Macintosh
• Software: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Maple, AutoCad, Labview
• Operating System: Windows 2000, 98, NT, MacOS
15
APPENDIX C
Map of Jaisalmer District
Picture courtesy : http://travel.indiamart.com
16
APPENDIX D
Pictures of Jaisalmer
picture of a typical mud house in Jaisalmer
courtesy : www.unveilindia.com
picture of an annual fair in Jaisalmer
courtesy : www.unveilindia.com
17
APPENDIX E
Wind Speed Data – Jaisalmer
Month
Mean Wind Speed
kph
mph
January
8.6
5.2
February
8.2
4.9
March
10.9
6.5
April
12.7
7.6
May
18.3
11.0
June
27.2
16.3
July
24.8
14.9
August
21.7
13.0
September
16.1
9.7
October
8.5
5.1
November
5.5
3.3
December
6.5
3.9
Annual:
14.1
8.5
18
APPENDIX F
Temperature and Humidity Data – Jaisalmer
Month
Mean Daily Temperature (ºC)
Relative Humidity (%) at
Max
Min
0130 hours
1730 hours
January
23.6
7.9
64
41
February
28.2
10.6
66
39
March
32.6
16.9
56
37
April
37.8
21.4
56
39
May
41.6
25.8
55
29
June
41.4
27.3
67
32
July
37.7
26.5
76
51
August
35.9
25.5
79
95
September
36.3
24.5
75
49
October
36.1
20.5
58
38
November
31.1
13.0
52
39
December
26.0
8.9
56
41
Annual:
34.0
19.0
63
41
19
APPENDIX G
Sandstorm Data – Jaisalmer
Month
Mean number of days with sand storms
January
0.1
February
0.1
March
0.3
April
0.5
May
0.5
June
0.3
July
0.0
August
0.0
September
0.0
October
0.0
November
0.0
December
0.0
Annual:
1.7
20
APPENDIX H
Recent Weather Conditions in Jaisalmer
Date
2002
Time
Wind speed
Temperature F/C
Mph
kph
ºF
ºC
Humidity (%)
12-Feb
3.42 am
0
0
60
16
79
13-Feb
3.42 am
2
3
52
11
63
14-Feb
6.52 pm
2
3
78
26
20
14-Feb
1.42 am
2
3
63
17
35
14-Feb
6.42 am
1
2
56
13
60
15-Feb
11.42 am
2
3
70
21
28
15-Feb
2.02 am
0
0
61
16
75
16-Feb
10.02 pm
0
0
77
25
34
17-Feb
5.42 am
0
0
56
13
89
17-Feb
8.42 am
2
3
70
21
55
17-Feb
2.12 pm
0
0
56
13
68
18-Feb
8.02 am
0
0
66
19
48
18-Feb
9.42 pm
2
3
73
23
37
19-Feb
1.42 am
9
15
67
19
61
19-Feb
7.02 am
0
0
66
19
48
Courtesy : CNN.com
21
APPENDIX I
Definitions
Per Capita Consumption :
Quantity of electricity utilized by a habitat for a year
KWh :
Energy consumed by an appliance rated 100 W that has been running for 10 hours
Unit :
1 KWh = 1 unit
Energy Yield Ratios :
EYR = Output Energy x 100
Input Energy
22