Indian Army looks to tap renewables to supply power military installations and soldiers in high altitude areas such as Ladakh.

Ladakh accounts for more than two-thirds of the land area of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. As a high altitude cold desert, though, it hosts only about 5% of the state’s population. With the mercury dipping to minus 20 degrees Celsius or lower during winter nights, and about minus 5 degrees Celsius at night during March and April, it becomes virtually impossible to live without proper heating.

However, Ladakh hosts a large Army presence due  because its region where two of the longest unresolved border disputes in the world – between India and China to the east, and between India and Pakistan to the west – are still ongoing. Indian Army is facing challenges in providing power to military installations and soldiers in high altitude areas such as Ladakh. Uninterrupted electricity supply, hence, becomes essential for cooking, heating, boiling water and recharging batteries of communication and surveillance devices.

Due to the absence of regular electric, generators are used at present. Apart from the huge amounts of fuel consumption, transporting diesel and kerosene is a logistic challenge and costly proposition. Fuel is often carried by soldiers and mules. Oil pipelines are susceptible to breakages due to landslides and avalanches.   It not just involves cost but also becomes a major contributing factor to air pollution in the fragile Himalayan ecology. Stoves and generators often break down during winters and sending a generator for repairs is a transportation nightmare. The region is not connected to the national grid. There are hydel power projects here but freezing of water in winter sees considerable fall in production.

The Army has launched a project for developing durable power supply in high altitudes to enhance the living conditions of its personnel. The plan is to have renewable energy in place of fossil fuels that are unreliable and face transportation and maintenance hassles.

According to a study report, Ladakh is a region where such renewable energy can be easily harnessed.  The project is being executed under the Technology Development Fund scheme and the Army is discussing the project with the industry and subject experts. The scheme envisages funding the industry that can develop technologies or prototypes for potential use with the help of scientists.