Dussehra is one of the most popular festival of Hindu Tradition. It marks the Death anniversary of Ravana. It is also known as Vijayadashmi, celebrated at the end of navratri each year. It also accompanies with the celebration of Durga Puja which is one of the most loved and famous festival of bengalis. Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of navratri. It is celebrated to mark the victory of Lord Rama over the demon Ravana. It signifies and proves the power of good over evil. Every year during durga puja and Dussehra, people across the country make idols and immerse them into various water bodies which pollutes the water bodies and the idols of Ravana are burnt which leads to air pollution.Usually these idols are made up of harmful materials which contaminate the water and air. Material such as toxic chemicals, Clay, paper, Plaster of Paris, cement, plastic, unnatural paints etc get submerged with water and while burning harmful gases are produced which travel through the air and are inhaled by the people and cause damage to them. All these substances pose a threat to aquatic life as well as human lives. They reduce the oxygen level of water and increase the acid content in it. It also becomes the cause for health hazards like skin infections, Breathing problems etc. The event is celebrated to showcase a huge amount of gratitude to our beloved gods but knowingly or unknowingly in the name of celebrations we humans destroy our own lifeline. Even the God himself will be dejected to see such kind of pollution and will not be able to forward us the blessings.

Eco friendly ways of celebration should be promoted.

Celebration will become more happy if we take good care of our surroundings. So here are few ways in which Dussehra and Durga Puja could be celebrated without constituting harm to the natural world:

MUD : Idols made up of mud will be easy to make as well as easy to submerge under water. Also Mud will dissolve fully and completely inside the water and within few seconds without harming the water bodies.
COW DUNG: In 2017 Idols made up of cow dung are gaining popularity because dung is a renewable source which will take the shape of manure under water and definately will be healthy for underwater plants. It will have a spiritual effect and will make the gods joyful because “cow” in India is served as a mother.
Herbal colours: Herbals colours also dissolve completely under water plus they can give people a very bright, beautiful and harmless idol of Goddess Durga.
Banana leaves: Banana leaves will give a mesmerising shape to the idol of Goddess Durga because of the beauty of its colour and will easily float with water.
Petals: Flower petals are the products of nature itself so they will not pose any ailment to the natural abode and will easily float away with water. They might also become food for some aquatic animals.
Candy wrappers: In last few decades this way has been very popularized because of its Eco friendly nature and creativity.
Ban On Toxic Materials: Plaster of Paris, toxic paints etc should be banned because they reduce the amount of oxygen in the water bodies killing aquatic life, turning into health hazards for human lives and generate harmful gases which pollute the water bodies. All these materials should be banned.
Refrain from Noise Pollution: use of low sound music instruments like tabla, mridangam, acoustics, flutes etc could be used instead of loud music, speakers, drums etc.
Artificial tanks : Artificials tanks could be used instead of large water bodies, ponds, rivers and lakes etc for the process of immersion.
Various other Natural ways: Coconut husks, spices,chocolate, alums, pulses, sugarcane,marbles etc should be used for making idols.

There are many initiatives taken by the government to reduce pollution caused by this festival.

Goa pollution control board along with Goa handicrafts, rural and small scale industries development pvt ltd conducted a joint inspection to check the materials used in making up of idols. The use of Pop declined to 0.67 percent in Goa this year. Delhi government also demarcated specific areas of immersion of the idols.Lieutenant governor of Delhi advised and Eco friendly festival this year. The city of Kolkata is the largest buyer of idols and the festival is most popular in Bengal , the Government there also took steps towards Eco friendly celebrations.

Goddess Durga will be happiest to witness his disciples taking care of the natural gifts of nature along with celebrations.

Written By: Manaswita Sachdeva

Edited by : Anirban Banerjee

As we already know, Solar Energy is one of the most reliable sources of renewable energy available to us today. The world is currently racing to make this technology widespread, especially with the ever looming threat of global warming. Renewable energy, which has minimal to none carbon footprint, is essential to make our world and our environment a better and healthier place to be in.

Solar panels generate electricity using the radiation emitted by the sun. When such solar panels are fitted onto the top of a building, they are known as rooftop photovoltaic system power stations. Such systems are especially helpful for mid to large scale residential and commercial buildings.

All this should make us eager to install Solar Rooftop systems in our own residences or other properties. But before you take the leap,

Read these 10 things you must know about solar rooftop systems:

1. There are 3 Types of solar rooftops

Monocrystalline – cells are cut from an ingot grown from a single large crystal of silicon. These panels are generally more expensive and space efficient.
Polycrystalline – cells are cut from an ingot made up of many small crystals of silicon. These are less expensive and have slightly lower heat tolerance.
Amorphous – a thin small solar cell. These are thin, small panels made up of several layers of photovoltaic material.

2. Raw materials used to make solar panels

Sand, silicon, ingots, wafers, and finally, solar cells are used to make solar panels.
Silicon is found in sand, mainly in natural beach sand, which is abundantly available. Converting sand into silicon is the most important and foremost step.
Ingots are cylindrical shaped, melted compounds which we get from silicon rocks. When ingots are sliced into thin disks, we get wafers.
Solar cells are formed by coating wafers with metal conductors capable of capturing solar rays and converting them into electricity, and then solar cells are joined together to form a matrix like structure called solar panels.

3. Why silicon is the most important raw material used in making solar panels:

Silicon is one of the best conductors of heat and is the second most available element found on earth. It has a spectrum-like structure and is able to capture a large amount of radiation. It has now become a well studied element in the circuit industry and is known to be a reliable compound.

4. No Pollutants involved:

In the process of energy production, solar panels do not emit any kind of harmful greenhouse gases and do not use any component which is not readily available – neither air nor water but only sunlight.

5. Solar statistics of India:

According to a report by India Today, India has a installed capacity of 12.2 GW as of March, 2017.

In march 2017 India had installed 12.2 GW of utility scale solar. India is currently set to become the third largest solar market in the world. The bridge to India report conveys that India’s clean technology market is expected to touch 18.7GW by the end of 2017 which is about 5% of global solar capacity.

6. Time-span:

Sunlight takes approximately 8 minutes to reach the earth and a few seconds to come in contact with solar panels. Solar rooftops will not even make its customers wait for hours to generate electricity.

7. Types of solar cells used in rooftop panels:

There are two types of solar cells used in rooftop panels.High watt solar cells reduce the number of cells required in a panel and also reduce initial cost. On grid system cells are used more in urban areas, and are cheaper too, which also helps the consumer to become the producer of the energy indirectly.

8. Capacity of production:

1KWp of panel will produce 1400 – 1600 units per year i.e. about 4% KWp per day in places with tremendous amount of sunshine. The average is calculated over a year. The electricity generation at individual days will depend on the location and will vary with change in atmospheric conditions.

9. Space efficiency:

The setting up of rooftop panels require a shade free area and panel efficiency will hold a significant importance in determining the space needed to set up the panel. The efficiency of the panel can be calculated with respect to the area occupied by the panel. Panels with low generating efficiency will require a larger space while the panel with higher efficiency will require less space.

10. Appliances supported by solar rooftops:

Every Appliance which requires electricity is supported by the power generated through solar rooftops. Air conditioners, coolers, TV, heaters and many more. The set-ups are for both commercial and residential buildings.

Solar energy is one of the most effective ways to save the environment as well as reduce nerve-wrecking electricity bills. Installing a solar panel will not only show human contribution towards Planet Earth but will also be beneficial for our own lives. All over the world people are shifting towards solar rooftops and the above mentioned pointers are all you need to know why.

Written By: Manaswita Sachdeva

Edited By: Anirban Banerjee

Solar Enery — Solar Energy- Fighting Climate Change

Solar Energy and Climate Change

Solar energy is turning out to be the best replacement for the conventional energy to fight climate change. Human activities, especially over the past few centuries, have been the bane for our environment. Burning fossil fuels to produce energy, expulsion of chlorofluorocarbons that clog the atmosphere, depletion of forest covers which serve as the lungs of the earth – these are only some of the activities which have led to the serious threat of global warming and irreversible climate change.

In fact, the effects of climate change are now more evident and quite visible – glaciers are melting, winter duration has reduced, weather patterns are changing. The reduction in the number of species that inhabit the planet is a result of global climate change and is a frightening example for the human species as well.

Despite such ominous signs, the advent of technology and the ingenuity of some human beings still gives us hope for the planet. Solar Energy is one of these hopeful solutions for a greener planet. It is a powerful solution to keep climate change at bay, especially if it can reach a massive scale, thanks to its virtually unlimited supply of fuel (the sun) and the large scale of land available to us for its deployment. This form of renewable energy helps in generating electricity using the sun’s radiation.

Even a 1 MW solar power plant can cut down carbon emissions by almost 1000 tonnes per annum, which is equivalent to planting about 5000 trees every year. Of course, trees have the added advantage of producing oxygen as well.

Imagine then, the positive impact that solar energy can have on climate change, if we were to adopt it across institutions and geographies.But let’s drill down and try to understand in detail why Solar Energy is being touted as the ultimate solution to deal with the crises of climate change.

• Solar Energy is a sustainable form of energy which will be a one-time investment and will provide long term benefits to people. Its sustainable nature will protect the needs of the present generation without compromising on the needs of future generations.
• Solar energy poses no threat to the planet as there no harmful emissions of any kind in its production
• Solar energy helps in reducing air and water pollution – Solar pumping water systems actually help in better distribution and conservation of water, and do not emit greenhouse gases and/or other air pollutants in the process
• Solar panels also help in reducing hazardous waste, resource mining (which help chemical industries lower the amount of waste that coal and oil based energy plants produce).
• Solar technology is cost effective, under economies of scale, and will reduce the dependency on expensive fuel and gas, thus, acting as a peacemaker for the customer
• Solar energy diminishes the risk of health hazards like respiratory issues, various kinds of cancers and cardiovascular problems.

Many countries like India, Spain, Germany and China are now leading the rest of the world in the implementation of solar energy.

More than 29 million homes around the world now use solar panels for heating purposes. In the German city of Freiburg, solar panels can be commonly found on hotels, homes, schools, sports centers and hospitals. In Canada, solar energy can provide up to 90 percent of residential and commercial hot water heating at a cost far below the price of heating water with electricity.

Regardless of the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels on global climate, other energy sources will become more important in the future because fossil fuels could run out by the early twenty-second century given the present rate of consumption. This implies that sooner or later humanity will rely heavily on renewable energy sources. Going the Solar Energy way is consistent with the pollution reduction goals established by the Clean Power Plan.

Going Solar will help countries achieve its climate change policies even faster. Planning for the future can and must be done in parallel with promoting strong renewable growth in the present.
Solar energy is already helping address climate change. It’s time to put our feet on the accelerator.

Written By: Priyanka & Manaswita

Edited By: Anirban

image source

Water and Education are correlated in Ways that surprise most readers. The foremost question they ask is HOW?

We will start of with a background.

There are many places in India where scarcity of water prevails. The time which could be invested in studying is used up by children in walking miles and miles to gather water. School-going as well as college-going pupils also take part in helping their family to gather water for their daily needs.

According to a report submitted by the World Health Organisation access to clean water yields a supplementary 272 million school attendances every year. The more that clean water will be available the lesser will be the number of students taking leave from classes. As UNICEF points out “safe water and adequate sanitation are as important to quality education as pencils,books and teachers”.

Water and education together play a very crucial role in gender equality. Particularly in India, the responsibility of handling household chores is left on the shoulders of girls. Early in the morning, they get up and start the task of collecting water, they are always expected to sacrifice classes because they are duty bound. UNICEF also points out that in almost 45 developing countries the burden to fetch water falls on women, almost two third households are without a source of drinking water, whereas only 12 percent places are such where children collect water. All these issues can be solved if people have proper access to water. Clean water will ensure proper sanitation facilities as well. Though a little off track but the recent blockbuster TOILET EK PREM KATHA depicts very clearly how important it is to have proper sanitation facilities.

Apart from this, the global campaign of education argues that in a post-2015 education agenda that quality education for all will be achieved if boys and girls in schools have access to separate toilets and hygiene. Lack of this facility ensures girl students missing school, since they are more likely to to need it than boys.

Without these basic necessities girl students will continue to be absent.

Water borne diseases like cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid etc add up the number of absent days for both teachers and students. Hygiene education in schools can battle this problem to a large extent.

A lack of proper access to water and sanitation will also reduce the number of quality teachers in schools and colleges. without Skilled teachers there won’t be any educated students. Having a degree merely is not education, becoming literate is education in its true sense.

Rural areas are more prone to this problem. Children are seen carrying heavy pots and buckets on their backs, which consumes their valuable school time, while further weakening their tender spines.

54% of India’s total area goes through extreme water stress especially the northwestern areas including states of Punjab and Haryana. Southern states are not left behind, Karnataka faces acute water shortage during the summer months. Even the capital of India is badly affected by water problems. The Delhi government acknowledges the problem and conveys that 22 out of 30 residents face daily shortages. Jamshedpur , Kanpur, Vishakhapatnam, Meerut, Hyderabad are also other badly affected areas. If such is the condition in urban areas then we can imagine how dull would be the scenario in rural areas. Rural areas adjoining these cities face more problems because here children along with their parents and elders indulge in fighting this problem by skipping daily constructive activities like going to school or college, or any wages earning activity.

People who lack access to both water and education face the ominous status of poverty. They are unable to get proper employment and are more prone to health hazards.

Education in these societies will help in the development of the population here. The youth, if educated properly, will find more ways of water conservation and be more efficient in dealing with the repercussions caused of water scarcity . They can bring more prosperity to their native land. Further, they can imbibe education in other people as well. Many will step out to study further and become professionally stable. They can come back and set up better infrastructure and encourage people to have proper sanitation systems. The more the population will be educated the more will be the chances of having a better environment in a particular area. Hence, water and education are interdependent. Though, one can exist without the other but jointly they will flourish.

Education is a tool which can overcome every hurdle

Written By: Manaswita Sachdeva

Claro Energy has emerged as a major player in the Indian Solar landscape. We are all set to render our services to power non-profit, residential and commercial projects in Gujarat. The project is promoted by Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), which is the state nodal agency to promote renewable energy. By investing in solar energy, not only it will help in reducing our dependency on expensive and harmful to the environment fossil fuels, it will also combat the global terror of climate change by cutting down carbon emission. Climate change already contributes to serious environmental and public health issues, including extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and ecosystem changes. It’s high time we make the right switch and save the environment.

There are two categories for solar Roof-top in Gujarat.

1. Residential Rooftop Programme by GEDA :

All residential and charitable organisations can avail the services and subsidy benefits.
There is a subsidy component of Rs. 10,000 per KW upto a maximum of Rs. 20,000 (i.e. 2 KW) from GEDA. Plus a 30% subsidy from MNRE.
Residential Consumer can install solar power plant upto 100% of the sanction load from MGVCL.

Authorized channel partners charge only the NET of subsidy amount. The below table gives a comprehensive idea about the costs and generation of power.

System Size	1 KW	2 KW	3KW	4KW	5KW	6KW	7KW	8KW	9KW	10KW
Shadow free Area Required (Sq Ft)	100	200	300	400	500	600	700	800	900	1000
Annual Electricity Production (KWh)	1400	2800	4200	5600	7000	8400	9800	11200	12600	14000
Price	69000	138000	207000	276000	345000	414000	483000	552000	621000	690000
MNRE Subsidy	20700	41400	62100	82800	103500	124200	144900	165600	186300	207000
GEDA Subsidy	10000	20000	20000	20000	20000	20000	20000	20000	20000	20000
Net Cost to Customer	38300	76600	124900	173200	221500	269800	318100	366400	414700	463000

2. Commercial Rooftop Segment :

a. There is no set price for Commercial Rooftops but it my vary from 70 Rs/ KW to Rs. 59 Rs./KW depending upon the plant size. As the plant becomes bigger, the cost comes down.

b. Commercial consumers can install solar power plant upto 50% of their sanctioned load.

c. There are no state or central subsidies for this segment but there is 40% accelerated depreciation which effectively translates into 24% tax rebate over two years.

Get in touch with us to deploy Rooftop Solar solutions for you. Get a 30% subsidy by contacting us NOW!

Contact Mr. Amit Magnani on +91-8160754324

Email: rooftop@13.233.214.20

Our Energy Partner

Lucidus Energy