The New Indian Express

Udupi, Jun 20: Though the country has spent Rs 50,000 crore to set up three atomic power stations, the production from these stations is just 3,000 MW.

Ironically, the government has not even spent Rs 50 crore towards research on alternate energy sources. But the present scenario demands the usage of renewable resources, said Janapara Vedike Karnataka convenor Y B Ramakrishna.

Speaking at a seminar to discuss the problem of power shortage in Karnataka and the pros and cons of coal-based power plants at Udupi recently, he said that there were several alternate sources for producing electricity.

Citing examples of alternate sources like sun, water, wind and tide, he said that energy could also be produced from oil seeds, biogas, food residues etc.

He said that according to a project prepared by the Government, energy experts in 1992 had said that the total energy requirement of the country in 2007 would be 1,41,400 MW.

But this production could not be achieved. Now, energy experts say that the nation’s additional energy requirements in 2012 will be 100,000 MW. All that is required is the gradual reduction of transmission losses, he added.