Quick Facts:
| Where in the world | Post Maindargi Taluka-Akkalkot District-Solapur, India. |
| How did it start ? |
Jaggery machinery is diesel-dependent and inefficient. |
| How were they suffering? |
Poor yelds accompanied by fossil fuels dependency. |
| What did they do ? |
Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Engineering Lavale set out to develop alternative, sustainable machines that were powered by renewables. |
| How did it turned out ? |
Impacted some 2500 people with employment, increased revenue and sustainable energy production. |
Jaggery is one of the most popular sweetener produced by concentration of sugarcane juice in bagasse fired pan-furnace system. Conventional jaggery manufacturing in India’s sugarcane
producing belt is one of the oldest small scale business enterprises. However, it performs poorly in terms of technical and economical sustenance due to heat losses, over-sizing of machines and wastage of bagasse.
Conventional Jaggery Unit
Conventional jaggery units, located in remote rural areas with shortage of power supply, force farmers and rural entrepreneurs to use diesel generator sets that caused huge carbon emissions, noise pollution and increased operational costs of the jaggery business. The lack of cost effective and scientifically designed energy efficient jaggery units triggered the need to address power load and environmental challenges faced by farmers and rural entrepreneurs involved in jaggery making.
Survey of Diesel Generator Powered Conventional Jaggery Unit by Prof. Dr. Totappa Hasarmani.
Keeping all these issues in mind Prof.Dr.Totappa Hasarmani from Bharati Vidyapeeth College of
Engineering, Lavale Pune India, a well-known researcher, progressive farmer and rural entrepreneur
aimed on technology up gradation and application of renewable energy resources to conventional
jaggery units for Energy-Economic Self Sufficiency of farmers and women entrepreneurs in India. He
has designed and developed “Solar PV powered Energy Efficient Jaggery Units” with 30 to 50 Ton
crushing per day (TCD) capacities for farmer producer groups and women self-help groups in India.
Furnaces were constructed with thick firebricks that significantly reduce the heat loss in furnace walls.
Smart heavy duty planetary gearbox sugarcane crushers with improved efficiency and human safety.
Development of Cost Effective Energy Efficient Jaggery Unit, Courtesy: Varad women self help group (SHG), Mohol (MH) India
The initiative has directly impacted 2500 people with rural employment opportunities & women empowerment. Annual generated electricity is 16.08 MWh and GHG emission has been reduced by 7%. There are no power shortage, black out or load shedding issues and diesel consumption is reduced by 90% compared to conventional jaggery units. More than 40% of bagasse is saved, providing additional revenue to farmers.
Solar PV-DG Hybrid System for Energy Efficient Jaggery Unit (Courtesey: ATAL Sustainable Solutions, Maindargi, District-Solapur, (MH) India.
Women Empowerment (Filling Final Products)
Opening Ceremony Guests
