There’s no dearth of construction of new residential buildings. In some places, the rise of the new structures is vertical and in some pockets, it’s horizontal. You don’t have to go there to know how they would look like and what all would be there once they are ready. Anyone living in Delhi and surrounding areas is swarmed with SMSes telling their flashy names and their unique features. A little query would inform that these buildings have everything, excepting powered by renewable energy.
When these buildings would be occupied, each of them would use almost all the gadgets available in the market. There is no harm in it. What remains unsaid is that these devices would draw power from the grid. Inevitably, the surrounding low and middle-income colonies would have to satisfy with inadequate supply of energy from the same grid. Even those living in the newly constructed ‘luxury homes’ would use diesel operated generators to meet the shortfall of electricity supply, and contribute, thereby, to pollution and global warming.
What surprises that none of the builders thought of using renewable energy to power these homes. There’s enough scope on the rooftop for fixing solar panels. The lighting of the building could also be managed with solar energy. A renewable energy research report says that the process is smooth, if the generated electricity from solar is consumed within the building. The problem arises if the surplus energy is put into the grid. It requires bi-metering, unlike today’s meter which works only in one direction—one is charged for the amount of electricity one uses. In the West, if the electricity generated from the rooftop is put into grid, then it’s measured and surplus energy is put into opposite direction to be utilised by other people.
The argument that solar energy is too expensive hardly holds water, when the buyers of these homes can afford all the luxuries. What’s more important is the intent. Affordability is always relative. Luxury is always for the upper crust of society. If this category of people can afford Merc, BMW, Harley Davidson, why wouldn’t they pay for a house designed in such a way that the energy requirement is supplied by tapping intelligently solar energy, the most readily available renewable energy.
If one goes by the price tag of the ‘luxury homes’, the profile of the potential buyer is those who prefer to eat high priced organic food, spent the weekends in natural surroundings and have a second home in the hills. Why wouldn’t they pay more to make a green lifestyle statement?
When these buildings would be occupied, each of them would use almost all the gadgets available in the market. There is no harm in it. What remains unsaid is that these devices would draw power from the grid. Inevitably, the surrounding low and middle-income colonies would have to satisfy with inadequate supply of energy from the same grid. Even those living in the newly constructed ‘luxury homes’ would use diesel operated generators to meet the shortfall of electricity supply, and contribute, thereby, to pollution and global warming.
What surprises that none of the builders thought of using renewable energy to power these homes. There’s enough scope on the rooftop for fixing solar panels. The lighting of the building could also be managed with solar energy. A renewable energy research report says that the process is smooth, if the generated electricity from solar is consumed within the building. The problem arises if the surplus energy is put into the grid. It requires bi-metering, unlike today’s meter which works only in one direction—one is charged for the amount of electricity one uses. In the West, if the electricity generated from the rooftop is put into grid, then it’s measured and surplus energy is put into opposite direction to be utilised by other people.
The argument that solar energy is too expensive hardly holds water, when the buyers of these homes can afford all the luxuries. What’s more important is the intent. Affordability is always relative. Luxury is always for the upper crust of society. If this category of people can afford Merc, BMW, Harley Davidson, why wouldn’t they pay for a house designed in such a way that the energy requirement is supplied by tapping intelligently solar energy, the most readily available renewable energy.
If one goes by the price tag of the ‘luxury homes’, the profile of the potential buyer is those who prefer to eat high priced organic food, spent the weekends in natural surroundings and have a second home in the hills. Why wouldn’t they pay more to make a green lifestyle statement?
very true and yes no doubt it is affordable for the high flyers.
ReplyDeleteelectricity must be categorized according to use like necessity, comfort and luxury and priced accordingly. For necessity purpose, it must be priced sensitively but for other purpose, it should be priced according to the paying ability of the user.
solar should be a part of luxury and need to be incorporated at the roof top of the high rises so that it would serve two purpose, availability to those who can afford it and address the concern of environment.