Two Indian firms win green energy awards

From H S Rao
London, Jun 17 (PTI) Two Indian firms have won the
prestigious Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, considered
as the "Green Oscar".
A cash prize of 20,000 pounds each were also given to
them at a ceremony held here Thursday night.
Pankaj Patel, Chief of the Abellon CleanEnergy,
Gujarat received the International Award and cash prize of
20,000 pounds on behalf of the company for producing biomass
pellets from crop waste to fuel Gujarat's industries and for
giving farmers a market for their waste products.
Sarah Butler-Sloss, Founder director of the Ashden
Awards and chair of the judging panel said: "Abellon has
devised a system that relies on a local clean source of energy
to reduce Co2, by replacing dirty industrial fuels, drive
economic growth, improve crops yields and support farmers."
"This is a showcase example of how the use of local,
clean energy can provide effective and commercially viable
solutions to local challenges. We hope others can learn from
this exciting and successful initiative," Butler-Sloss said.
Abellon currently produces over 65,000 tonnes of
biomass pellets a year and aims to open two more pellet plants
in Gujarat in the next five years, trebling its production and
expanding operations into international markets.
Gyanesh Pandey received the award and cash prize on
behalf of Husk Power Systems, Bihar, which has built 65 power
plants across the state fired by gasified rice husks, embedded
local grids and hired local people to help run the operations.

They now supply electricity to around 180,000 people.
Pandey said that the company would expand its work in
other villages in India and later go abroad.
"There is bound to be great demand for our project as
our plant is the cheapest capital intensive plant," he said.
Asked whether it was getting any other support, he
said the Ministry of New and Renewable energy is subsidising
to the extent of 40 per cent of capital cost.
He said that "more villages are clamouring to be
connected as the main grid only meets around 10 per cent of
demand. The business is growing fast with 270 people trained
and employed and HPS is aiming for over 2,000 plants by the
end of 2014."
Ghanian firm Toyola Energy Ltd won the top prize of
40,000 pounds Gold Award for its success in making stoves that
burn less charcoal than traditional models and that are
accessible to low-income families.
Pakistan's Aga Khan Planning and Building Service was
also awarded for helping families in mountain villages save
energy and make their homes warmer through a range of
locally-produced devices.
The Awards, started in 2001, aim to encourage the
greater use of local clean energy and to address climate
change and alleviate poverty.