"Energy Independence through Renewable Sources" is a mission of PRINCE. The primary focus of the organisation is towards energy needs of the rural sector through technologies like solar cookers, biogas plants and biomass wood stoves and gasifiers. Few members of organisations now have fossil fuel free houses by adopting solar cookers, biogas plants and similar gadgets. PRINCE (Promoters, Researchers & Innovators in New & Clean Energy)is a voluntary group started by Prof. Ajay Chandak. Now the group is attached to the NGO Suman Foundation.
Contact Information
Our Focus
Field research is one strong area for PRINCE. Many technologies are developed through PRINCE which primarily include square shaped solar dish cookers for domestic as well as community cooking, biogas plants for food waste and animal excreta, special designs for community biogas plants on night soil, new wood stoves with whirling flame and also biomass gasifiers for community cooking. Many developments are carried out in the area of solar concentrators used for community cooking and steam generation systems. Innovating technologies, promoting renewable energy initiatives and training entrepreneurs in the field of renewable energy are the prime focus areas of PRINCE. At present work is restricted to India, however PRINCE has network with many organisations and promoters all over globe.
Our Experience And Interest In The Four PCIA Central Focus Areas
The main barriers we feel are government policies. Governments are still highly subsidising competing fossil fuel technologies like kerosene and LPG. For solar cookers, especially parabolic cookers, space is one of the barriers. Making trips to yards for cooking on solar cookers is also one issue.
Different renewable energy technologies have different capabilities. The strengths of these technologies are to be ascertained and those technologies need to be promoted focusing on those strengths. Solar cooking is very practical as community cooking for 50 people or so. The new PRINCE-40 kind of designs are good enough to cater for around 50 people. Wood stoves are good for family size systems. In communities where milking animals are kept, biogas can be an excellent option.
In India, the government itself is one of the biggest clients/customers. There are many areas where government schemes can adopt renewable energy applications. Mid Day Meal schemes for school children, Aanganwadis for women and child care, old age homes and all such institutions which are run by governments directly or through government aid can deploy such technologies. Operating through NGOs is another good area.
Few efforts are being adopted for standardising wood stove designs, biogas plant designs and even for solar cookers design. Efforts are being taken for standardising test protocols. Few test protocols and test set ups are designed by PRINCE.
PRINCE would like to participate in projects which involve extensive monitoring of the renewable energy gadgets and projects.
Relevant Publications or Studies
Many papers and projects are presented at different conferences and in journals.
Our Contribution to the Partnership
We can provide training to entrepreneurs in renewable energy in almost all cooking technologies. We would also like to participate in all efforts of promotion, research and standardisation of RE technologies.
