ATTEMPTED on August 6, 2008
This note is to bring out the need and importance of
carrying out the EC of PCRA through TV Serials on Channels.
Out of athe total budget of 25 crores, allocation for
Education Campaign is 12 cr.
Energy Audit (incl. expn on 4 CRC offices) is 8 Cr.
Research is 3 cr.
Networking and office 2 Cr.
The Concept of Education Campaign was introduced in PCRA since
1992 when an yearly OGC week was introduced.Gradually more methodologies
were added to it. Video was used as a tool first in 1995 with
some good video films on Fuel saving methods in Industries.
Growth of Video medium in PCRA :--
1st some Videos on fuel saving in Industries -- time 15 to 30 min
2nd some Videos on fuel saving in agriculture and domestic sectors -- time 15 to 30 min
3rd Video jingles to use as advertisement on Channels
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Attempt to list my initiatives in PCRA
New Thrust of PCRA Activities during June’ 02 to Oct’ 05
1. Main focus of PCRA activities are towards conservation of Petroleum Products and Energy in general.
2. New TV spots, Films , Jingles were made on petroleum conservation in transport, domestic , agriculture and industrial sectors.
3. Massive campaign started with TV, Radio, Newspapers, Hoardings, Bus panels, etc to generate awareness among masses towards petroleum conservation.The campaign covered all the sectors and spreaded throughout the country
4. Existing Literature on petroleum conservation was re-designed to make them more educative. Developed new literature.
5. In July’ 2002, PCRA initiated a serious brainstorming program on how to extend the reach of awareness on petroleum conservation to the length & breadth of the country. Children and youth were identified as the focal point through whom the message would be communicated more effectively. Keeping this in view, PCRA designed two content-rich programs on electronic media, one for radio titled, “Boond Boond Ki Baat” and one for Television titled, Khel Khel Mein Badlo Duniya”.
A popular character, “Petro Uncle” who by virtue of his style of attracting listeners made a mark in everyone’s mind regarding petroleum conservation measures, spearheaded the Radio program. This one hour weekly Hindi radio program was run for 3 years 10 months spanning over 184 episodes. The popularity of this program encouraged PCRA to adapt the program in 6 regional languages, viz. Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Assamese, Telugu etc. and broadcast it through 50 stations in respective states of the country.
The television program was designed to involve children from various schools of the country. The idea behind the program was to make India’s schoolchildren a part of the program who would carry the message of petroleum conservation into various strata of the society. Every week, the program received more than 2000 SMS responses apart from more than 100 letters and 300 emails. This popular half an hour Hindi TV program was run for 3 years 3 months spanning over 143 episodes. In view of whopping popularity, 26 episodes of the program were also adapted and telecast in Tamil and Assamese.
6. Vocational skill building was identified as one of the most effective tool to for Fuel-efficiency in the country. Our country has a huge chunk of un-skilled labourer and they need to be imparted vocational skills in order to improve their efficiency level. With this idea in mind, PCRA produced large number of vocational films on skill building and showed it on DD National.
7. More Emphasis was given on LPG clinics for conservation of LPG.
8. Installed Count down timers in Delhi and spread awareness about saving fuel at traffic intersections.
9. Developed films, literature, networked with various stakeholders for promotion of biodiesel in India. Coordinated and organized various meetings for formation of Biodiesel Purchase policy which is released by MoP&NG.
10. Driver Training Program, the unique program of PCRA was for the first time taken up on a large scale so as to include all drivers of State Transport Undertakings. The result achieved in Rajasthan State Transport Undertaking was immensely encouraging. Savings was reported to be Rs. 6 Crore in Rajasthan STU with only 25% drivers being trained.
PCRA, for the first time, also introduced a system of having feedback from the trained drivers n how they felt about the program and how beneficial was the program for them.
11. PCRA, for the first time since its inception, could increase the number of Research & Development projects from a meager 3 numbers to 25 numbers in a year. Also for the first time, PCRA began producing films on successful R&D projects in order to multiply its effect by showing the films in the cluster industries.
12. For replication of the findings of the successful research on saving of petroleum products, conducted workshops, developed films and litrature, organized seminars with associations of stakeholders.
13. Initiated networking with Energy conservation organizations of other countries like Japan (ECCJ), China etc.
14. Initiated the concept of one way toll collection at toll bridges and organized meetings with various stake holders.
15. For the first time, PCRA associated with the State Industrial Rural Development to impart training on fuel efficiency.
16. The number of energy audits carried out per year in various industries increased drastically and most importantly, PCRA increased the number of Follow-ups that eventually determines the savings.
Paid Energy Audits in various industries were very successful for active participation of the industrialists and their commitment. The program became very popular and PCRA received many repeat orders and multiple order from different units of same organization, viz. Mother Dairy, Amul etc.
17. PCRA organized Two-Wheelers Rally to promote the concept of petroleum conservation
1. Main focus of PCRA activities are towards conservation of Petroleum Products and Energy in general.
2. New TV spots, Films , Jingles were made on petroleum conservation in transport, domestic , agriculture and industrial sectors.
3. Massive campaign started with TV, Radio, Newspapers, Hoardings, Bus panels, etc to generate awareness among masses towards petroleum conservation.The campaign covered all the sectors and spreaded throughout the country
4. Existing Literature on petroleum conservation was re-designed to make them more educative. Developed new literature.
5. In July’ 2002, PCRA initiated a serious brainstorming program on how to extend the reach of awareness on petroleum conservation to the length & breadth of the country. Children and youth were identified as the focal point through whom the message would be communicated more effectively. Keeping this in view, PCRA designed two content-rich programs on electronic media, one for radio titled, “Boond Boond Ki Baat” and one for Television titled, Khel Khel Mein Badlo Duniya”.
A popular character, “Petro Uncle” who by virtue of his style of attracting listeners made a mark in everyone’s mind regarding petroleum conservation measures, spearheaded the Radio program. This one hour weekly Hindi radio program was run for 3 years 10 months spanning over 184 episodes. The popularity of this program encouraged PCRA to adapt the program in 6 regional languages, viz. Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Assamese, Telugu etc. and broadcast it through 50 stations in respective states of the country.
The television program was designed to involve children from various schools of the country. The idea behind the program was to make India’s schoolchildren a part of the program who would carry the message of petroleum conservation into various strata of the society. Every week, the program received more than 2000 SMS responses apart from more than 100 letters and 300 emails. This popular half an hour Hindi TV program was run for 3 years 3 months spanning over 143 episodes. In view of whopping popularity, 26 episodes of the program were also adapted and telecast in Tamil and Assamese.
6. Vocational skill building was identified as one of the most effective tool to for Fuel-efficiency in the country. Our country has a huge chunk of un-skilled labourer and they need to be imparted vocational skills in order to improve their efficiency level. With this idea in mind, PCRA produced large number of vocational films on skill building and showed it on DD National.
7. More Emphasis was given on LPG clinics for conservation of LPG.
8. Installed Count down timers in Delhi and spread awareness about saving fuel at traffic intersections.
9. Developed films, literature, networked with various stakeholders for promotion of biodiesel in India. Coordinated and organized various meetings for formation of Biodiesel Purchase policy which is released by MoP&NG.
10. Driver Training Program, the unique program of PCRA was for the first time taken up on a large scale so as to include all drivers of State Transport Undertakings. The result achieved in Rajasthan State Transport Undertaking was immensely encouraging. Savings was reported to be Rs. 6 Crore in Rajasthan STU with only 25% drivers being trained.
PCRA, for the first time, also introduced a system of having feedback from the trained drivers n how they felt about the program and how beneficial was the program for them.
11. PCRA, for the first time since its inception, could increase the number of Research & Development projects from a meager 3 numbers to 25 numbers in a year. Also for the first time, PCRA began producing films on successful R&D projects in order to multiply its effect by showing the films in the cluster industries.
12. For replication of the findings of the successful research on saving of petroleum products, conducted workshops, developed films and litrature, organized seminars with associations of stakeholders.
13. Initiated networking with Energy conservation organizations of other countries like Japan (ECCJ), China etc.
14. Initiated the concept of one way toll collection at toll bridges and organized meetings with various stake holders.
15. For the first time, PCRA associated with the State Industrial Rural Development to impart training on fuel efficiency.
16. The number of energy audits carried out per year in various industries increased drastically and most importantly, PCRA increased the number of Follow-ups that eventually determines the savings.
Paid Energy Audits in various industries were very successful for active participation of the industrialists and their commitment. The program became very popular and PCRA received many repeat orders and multiple order from different units of same organization, viz. Mother Dairy, Amul etc.
17. PCRA organized Two-Wheelers Rally to promote the concept of petroleum conservation
Monday, July 14, 2008
Biodiesel, an emerging renewable source.
Conservation of fossil fuels :
Biodiesel, an emerging renewable source.
-------- Leena Mehendale
Principle Secretary, GAD,
Maharashtra
Twentieth Century saw an extensive use of fossil fuels all over the world, the innovations of hundreds and thousands of different uses for petroleum & natural gas has led to a significant increase in the need for fossil fuel in the world. A growing number of scientific researchers and political leaders have urged prompt conservation of fossil fuels by investing immediately in energy-efficient vehicles, machinery, and structures and by gradually shifting to alternative sources of energy. The reason most commonly given in support of fossil fuel conservation is that “Petroleum Resources are finite” and “the need to prevent future global climate change”. Most of these arguments say, “fossil fuels provide about 95 percent of the commercial energy used in the world economy”..... “Combustion of those fuels constitutes the largest source of emissions of climate-altering greenhouse gases”. Most scientists agree that such emissions cannot be continued indefinitely at current or increasing levels without causing devastating effects on ecosystems and on people. Electricity generated from fossil fuels such as coal and crude oil has led to high concentrations of harmful gases in the atmosphere. This has in turn led to many problems being faced today such as ozone depletion global warming and Tsunami.
The consumption of non-renewable sources of energy, thus, has caused more environmental damage than any other human activity. Therefore, alternative sources of energy have become very important and relevant to today’s world. These sources, such as the sun and wind, can never be exhausted and therefore are renewable. They cause less emission and are available locally. Their use can, to a large extent, reduce chemical, radioactive, and thermal pollution. They stand out as a viable source of clean and limitless energy, as a source of non-conventional energy. Most of the renewable sources of energy are fairly non-polluting and considered clean.
In Indian context, “Bio-diesel”, as a source of alternative and renewable source of energy has started gaining momentum in a big way. Biodiesel (fatty acid alkyl esters) is a cleaner burning diesel replacement, made from natural, renewable sources such as Tree Borne Oilseed and Animal Fats. Just like petroleum diesel, bio-diesel also operates in compression-ignition engines, in fact the first ever such engine invented by the German scientist Diesel used peanut oil for fuel. Blends of up to 20% bio-diesel (mixed with petroleum diesel) can be used in nearly all diesel equipments and are compatible with most storage and distribution equipments. These low-level blends (20% and less) generally do not require any engine modifications. Bio-diesel can provide the same payload capacity as diesel.
Jatropha Curcas has been identified for India as the most suitable Tree Borne Oilseed (TBO) for production of bio-diesel both in view of the non-edible oil available from it and its presence all throughout the country. The capacity of Jatropha Curcas to rehabilitate degraded or dry lands, from which the poor derive their sustenance, by improving land’s water retention capacity, makes it additionally suitable for up-gradation of land resources. Presently, in some Indian villages, farmers are extracting oil from Jatropha and after settling and decanting it, they are mixing the filtered oil with diesel fuel. Although, so far the farmers have not observed any damage to their machinery, yet this remains to be tested and PCRA-like institutes alongwith agro-mechanical divisions of various agricultural universities must start working on it.
The fact remains that for use in modern machinery as well as for mixing and storage this oil needs to be converted to bio-diesel though a chemical reaction, called “Trans-Esterification”. This reaction is relatively simple and does not require any exotic material. The R&D Division of IOCL has been using a laboratory scale plant of 100 kg/day capacity for trans-esterification and designing of larger capacity plants is being worked out in Anand Univ. Gujrat, Delhi Univ and IIP, Dehradun. PCRA has developed institutional linkages for research & development with these R&D Institutes. With this initiative, suitable technology & equipments for esterification of bio-diesel on small & medium scales have also been developed. A few industries have done experimental production even at 50 tonnes a day. These larger plants are useful for centralized production of bio-diesel though it can be continued in smaller capacity plants of .5 to 20kg/day at decentralized level in villages till the optimum levels are not worked out. These kind of small plants can be a way out to provide energy security to our remote and rural areas, while it would also contribute towards employment generation.
As such, all kinds of Tree Borne Oilseeds, be it edible or no-edible can be used as a raw material for production of bio-diesel. But from the Indian point of view we are yet to meet our current demand of edible oils, hence the option left out for India is non-edible oilseeds.
With sky rocketing crude oil prices, what is required now is to spread the knowledge of this system and debug some crucial fiscal issues like taxation policy, tax holidays and subsidies, import concessions to palm crude oil. In addition more attention is needed on developing agro-economic practices and CDM mechanism, so that this source of alternative energy can be exploited to its fullest extent in our country.
Biodiesel, an emerging renewable source.
-------- Leena Mehendale
Principle Secretary, GAD,
Maharashtra
Twentieth Century saw an extensive use of fossil fuels all over the world, the innovations of hundreds and thousands of different uses for petroleum & natural gas has led to a significant increase in the need for fossil fuel in the world. A growing number of scientific researchers and political leaders have urged prompt conservation of fossil fuels by investing immediately in energy-efficient vehicles, machinery, and structures and by gradually shifting to alternative sources of energy. The reason most commonly given in support of fossil fuel conservation is that “Petroleum Resources are finite” and “the need to prevent future global climate change”. Most of these arguments say, “fossil fuels provide about 95 percent of the commercial energy used in the world economy”..... “Combustion of those fuels constitutes the largest source of emissions of climate-altering greenhouse gases”. Most scientists agree that such emissions cannot be continued indefinitely at current or increasing levels without causing devastating effects on ecosystems and on people. Electricity generated from fossil fuels such as coal and crude oil has led to high concentrations of harmful gases in the atmosphere. This has in turn led to many problems being faced today such as ozone depletion global warming and Tsunami.
The consumption of non-renewable sources of energy, thus, has caused more environmental damage than any other human activity. Therefore, alternative sources of energy have become very important and relevant to today’s world. These sources, such as the sun and wind, can never be exhausted and therefore are renewable. They cause less emission and are available locally. Their use can, to a large extent, reduce chemical, radioactive, and thermal pollution. They stand out as a viable source of clean and limitless energy, as a source of non-conventional energy. Most of the renewable sources of energy are fairly non-polluting and considered clean.
In Indian context, “Bio-diesel”, as a source of alternative and renewable source of energy has started gaining momentum in a big way. Biodiesel (fatty acid alkyl esters) is a cleaner burning diesel replacement, made from natural, renewable sources such as Tree Borne Oilseed and Animal Fats. Just like petroleum diesel, bio-diesel also operates in compression-ignition engines, in fact the first ever such engine invented by the German scientist Diesel used peanut oil for fuel. Blends of up to 20% bio-diesel (mixed with petroleum diesel) can be used in nearly all diesel equipments and are compatible with most storage and distribution equipments. These low-level blends (20% and less) generally do not require any engine modifications. Bio-diesel can provide the same payload capacity as diesel.
Jatropha Curcas has been identified for India as the most suitable Tree Borne Oilseed (TBO) for production of bio-diesel both in view of the non-edible oil available from it and its presence all throughout the country. The capacity of Jatropha Curcas to rehabilitate degraded or dry lands, from which the poor derive their sustenance, by improving land’s water retention capacity, makes it additionally suitable for up-gradation of land resources. Presently, in some Indian villages, farmers are extracting oil from Jatropha and after settling and decanting it, they are mixing the filtered oil with diesel fuel. Although, so far the farmers have not observed any damage to their machinery, yet this remains to be tested and PCRA-like institutes alongwith agro-mechanical divisions of various agricultural universities must start working on it.
The fact remains that for use in modern machinery as well as for mixing and storage this oil needs to be converted to bio-diesel though a chemical reaction, called “Trans-Esterification”. This reaction is relatively simple and does not require any exotic material. The R&D Division of IOCL has been using a laboratory scale plant of 100 kg/day capacity for trans-esterification and designing of larger capacity plants is being worked out in Anand Univ. Gujrat, Delhi Univ and IIP, Dehradun. PCRA has developed institutional linkages for research & development with these R&D Institutes. With this initiative, suitable technology & equipments for esterification of bio-diesel on small & medium scales have also been developed. A few industries have done experimental production even at 50 tonnes a day. These larger plants are useful for centralized production of bio-diesel though it can be continued in smaller capacity plants of .5 to 20kg/day at decentralized level in villages till the optimum levels are not worked out. These kind of small plants can be a way out to provide energy security to our remote and rural areas, while it would also contribute towards employment generation.
As such, all kinds of Tree Borne Oilseeds, be it edible or no-edible can be used as a raw material for production of bio-diesel. But from the Indian point of view we are yet to meet our current demand of edible oils, hence the option left out for India is non-edible oilseeds.
With sky rocketing crude oil prices, what is required now is to spread the knowledge of this system and debug some crucial fiscal issues like taxation policy, tax holidays and subsidies, import concessions to palm crude oil. In addition more attention is needed on developing agro-economic practices and CDM mechanism, so that this source of alternative energy can be exploited to its fullest extent in our country.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
When Tsunami came
The team was Manish, Mahendra, Kapil and Sandeep
This message went as a first step ---
Dear Sir,
You may be aware that thousands of tsunami affected
children in Andman Nikobar are concerned about their
forth coming board exams in march for which they have
no study material.
They follow CBSE syllabus and the exam language is
Hindi or English.
We have created a web utility on our website i.e,
http://www.pcra.org
to facilitate students / teachers of X th and
XIIth class for sending us study material for Xth and
XIIth class which will be compiled and
uploaded in our website. From this web utility, the
Tsunami affected students who have lost their study
materials can download the contents and utilise
it for their Xth or XII th board examinations.
For the effective study material collection
and utilization of this web utility we request you to
release appeals to the students and teachers of X th
and XII th who are having study material with them,
for sending soft copy or scanned copy to us by
E-mail at tsunami@pcra.org.
I am in touch with govt authorities in port blair who
are arranging computer download facility there so that
children can quickly get study material.
from our website.
Hope to get an early action from your side.
pl forward this email to many.
For any clarification / queries please write to me at
edpcra@pcra.org.
Thanking you ,
Leena Mehendale
JS and ED , PCRA
----------------------------------------
To be completed. Kapil, Mahendra, can you add some more?
---------------------------------------
Later Joe, our man-friday in computers, collated lot of video clips on Tsunami and made a beautiful 5 min. video explaining how non-caring for Conservation will lead to wanton destruction of nature and havoc like the Tsunami.
This message went as a first step ---
Dear Sir,
You may be aware that thousands of tsunami affected
children in Andman Nikobar are concerned about their
forth coming board exams in march for which they have
no study material.
They follow CBSE syllabus and the exam language is
Hindi or English.
We have created a web utility on our website i.e,
http://www.pcra.org
to facilitate students / teachers of X th and
XIIth class for sending us study material for Xth and
XIIth class which will be compiled and
uploaded in our website. From this web utility, the
Tsunami affected students who have lost their study
materials can download the contents and utilise
it for their Xth or XII th board examinations.
For the effective study material collection
and utilization of this web utility we request you to
release appeals to the students and teachers of X th
and XII th who are having study material with them,
for sending soft copy or scanned copy to us by
E-mail at tsunami@pcra.org.
I am in touch with govt authorities in port blair who
are arranging computer download facility there so that
children can quickly get study material.
from our website.
Hope to get an early action from your side.
pl forward this email to many.
For any clarification / queries please write to me at
edpcra@pcra.org.
Thanking you ,
Leena Mehendale
JS and ED , PCRA
----------------------------------------
To be completed. Kapil, Mahendra, can you add some more?
---------------------------------------
Later Joe, our man-friday in computers, collated lot of video clips on Tsunami and made a beautiful 5 min. video explaining how non-caring for Conservation will lead to wanton destruction of nature and havoc like the Tsunami.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
