Government making diesel generators of telecom towers green
The oil ministry is going to convert diesel generators (DGs) used by telecom towers run on natural gas to cut the economy’s carbon footprint by reducing diesel consumption and expanding the clean-burning fuel’s share in India’s primary energy basket.
According to an oil ministry dossier for states, in a gas-driven economy, the country can reduce diesel consumption by 326 million litres of diesel a year if the 182,000 of the 520,000-plus towers, where conversion is possible, is switched to gas.
The quantity of diesel can be saved is equivalent to roughly four days’ consumption in Delhi. If all the identified towers are converted, it will save four days’ emission in Delhi.
Tower operators are required to provide uninterrupted services 24×7, making diesel-guzzling DGs a necessity in the absence of continuous grid supply, especially in the hinterland. Nearly 80 of these DGs are of 25 KVA capacity, 15% of 125 KVA, while the rest include battery storage and solar.
It has been suggested in the dossier from the environment and forests ministry, to ban or replace DG sets to gas generators as the fuel becomes available in more areas. It also suggests including gas generator manufacturing in ‘White’ category for easier environmental clearance.
The government plans to raise the share of gas in energy basket from 6% to 15% by 2023. Only 34 GAs (geographical areas similar to licence areas across states/districts) in the country had city gas networks till 2014. After that it has been raised and the government has given out CGD licences for 174 Gas.
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