Dhundi Solar Cooperative

RE Success Story
DHUNDI VILLAGE IN GUJARAT SHOWS THE

WAY FOR COOPERATIVE SOLAR ENTERPRISE
With the help of Colombo-based International Water
Management Institute (IWMI), six Gujarat farmers have formed
worlds first solar power cooperative society to sell surplus
power generated from solar water pumps installed at their
farms. This article discusses about a splendid success story in
the field of renewable energy in Gujarat.
Solar pump in operation
A
fter conducting a successful the ground to irrigate their crops. came from the research grant.
pilot project of connecting Diesel pumps were replaced with While states like Karnataka have
farmers with the grid at grid connected solar pumps, installed announced similar plans, the
Anand district of Gujarat, meters to record the energy, entered difference in this pilot project is
the International Water Management into an agreement with the local that farmers have been brought
Institute (IWMI) has now assembled distribution utility (MGVCL) to buy together in the form of a cooperative.
six farmers of Dhundi village in Kheda back any excess power at the rate Farmers now pool their excess
district of Gujarat for a solar power of 4.63/kWh. Six farmers opted into power and sell this to the utility,
cooperative society. The village did the schemethree farmers with five instead of each farmer having an
not have access to the agricultural HP pumpsets and three farmers with independent agreement with the
grid. This meant that the farmers here 7.5 HP pumpsets. The farmers paid discom. Having been trained on
used expensive, noisy, and polluting roughly 20 per cent of the price of use of solarwater pump and how
diesel pumps to pump water out of the pump, while the remaining capital to earn from connecting surplus
44 | Akshay Urja | August 2016

Dhundi Village in Gujarat Shows the Way for Cooperative Solar Enterprise
power from it to the grid, these

farmers have come together to form
a solar cooperative society named
Dhundi Saur Urja Utpadak Sahakari
Mandali or Solar Pump Irrigators
Cooperative Enterprise (SPICE).
The cooperative society has been
registered at Registrar of Cooperative
Society, Government of Gujarat. It
is for the first time that someone
has set up solar cooperative society.
basis to MGVCL at the rate of `4.70 said P Raghu who is in-charge of
We showcased our pilot project to
per unit. The cooperative society the project.
these small farmers to help them
members being small farmers, IWMI On its part, GERMI is providing
understand that this could be a new
had supported them financially for technical support to the society and
mode of earning which eventually led
purchase and installation of pumps educating farmers about operation
to formation of the society, Tushar
and solar panels. The institute has of the pumps and connection with
Shah of IWMI said.
so far funded about 40 lakh in the the grid. According to IWMI, the local
State discom Madhya Gujarat
project. Shah said, "Solar pump utility will also save on future subsidy
Vij Company Limited (MGVCL)
costs are not affordable for small of around `50,000 per annum per
and Gujarat Energy Research and
farmers so we decided to provide
Management Institute (GERMI) are farmer which they would have incurred
funds to them. We have installed
also supporting IWMI for this project. had these farmers gotten electricity
58 kW solar water pumps in Dhundi
With the trial run of power supply to connections instead of solar pumps.
village. However, we will not add
the grid being completed, farmers Considering that India has close to
more funds and would rather go for
have begun supplying surplus power 1520 million electric pumps which
the governments schemes for solar
from solar pumps on commercial water pumps when we induct new annually absorb `60,000 crore of
members in the solar cooperative farm power subsidies to earn a meagre
Farmers now pool their society." IWMI has also decided to income, the idea of SPICE offers wide
excess power and sell this showcase this model to other parts ranging appeal. A community-based
to the utility, instead of of Gujarat by inviting farmers. MGVCL approach reduces the chance of any
has signed an agreement with the one farmer stealing power from his
each farmer having an
society to purchase surplus power. It neighbours grid. Cooperatives are
independent agreement with is also helping the society connect self-regulatory in nature.
the discom. Having been with the grid. SPICE is expecting to The pilot at Dhundi, Gujarat,
trained on use of solarwater supply about 250 units power a day presents a feasible solution to
pump and how to earn to the grid. We have signed a power reduce the agricultural electricity
purchase agreement with the farmers consumption from the grid, thus
from connecting surplus of the solar cooperative society at eliminating power subsidies that are
power from it to the grid, the rate of `4.70 per unit. This is not inherent to Indias power sectors.
these farmers have come the end, if more farmers join, we will Every unit of electricity that is
together to form a solar connect them also with the grid as evacuated onto the grid will mean
part of the agreement, an MGVCL that groundwater remains under the
cooperative society named official stated. Through the society,
ground. The key challenge would be
Dhundi Saur Urja Utpadak farmers are hoping to bring down
to arrive at the right number for the
Sahakari Mandali or Solar costs as well as earn almost double
buyback of powera number that is
Pump Irrigators Cooperative through sale of surplus power. The
acceptable to both the farmer and the
farmers at Dhundi are small farmers
Enterprise (SPICE). The with average landholding of only
utility. In a scenario of rapidly falling
cooperative society has one acre. Each farmer spends close solar tariffs, this is indeed a challenge.
been registered at Registrar to 20,000 annually on diesel for Nevertheless, Dhundi demonstrates
irrigation. With SPICE, the farmers will that small yet simple solutions can go
of Cooperative Society,
not only save the costs on diesel but a long way in solving Indias power
Government of Gujarat. will also be earning close to 40,000 and water problems.
per annum from sale of solar power, Source: www.business-standard.com.
August 2016 | Akshay Urja | 45

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RE Success Story

DHUNDI VILLAGE IN GUJARAT SHOWS THE

Solar pump in operation

44 | Akshay Urja | August 2016

power from it to the grid, these

August 2016 | Akshay Urja | 45

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