Solar Chulha : Where can I buy ?

On 3^rd Nov 2017 , ONGC came out with a half page advt , inviting public to :

“………come up with innovative ideas to design and develop “ Solar Chula “

[ See original Advt at :

https://www.sarkariyojna.co.in/solar-chulha-online-applications-registrations-startup-ongc-co/ ]

Not finding in that advt or on ONGC web site , any “ Specifications “ for that chulha , I sent following email to ONGC [  cmd@ongc.co.in  ]

Solar  Chula  ?  Some  Unanswered  Questions [  03 Nov  2017  ]

Extract of my Email :

    Nowhere on the web site , there are any SPECIFICATIONS , against which ONGC will

    carry out those “ Performance Tests “ to decide “ Successful Demonstration “

In total absence of any SPECIFICATIONS , will this ( ONGC ) expensive / time – effort consuming exercise boil down to , “ It is MY word against YOURs “ ?

 

 

 Hence , the SPECIFICATIONS  for Solar Chulhas would need to be :

 

 

      #  Chulha should be capable of cooking a meal for 4 persons ( will need to sharply

         define “ MEAL “ ) , in 30 minutes , solely drawing its power from a SOLAR POWER

         STORAGE device , which collects / stores solar power , from solar panels mounted

         on the terrace / roof top .

 

 

         Solar Storage Device should have adequate storage capacity for cooking 2 meals

         before needing re-charge and should be capable of being re-charged from

         standard 210 V / 5 Amp domestic electric outlet

 

 

     #  Chulha should be of XYZ dimensions , for easy accommodation inside a kitchen

 

 

     #  Chulha should not cost more than Rs 10,000 / - to manufacture ( which would be

         excluding the cost of SOLAR POWER STORAGE device )

 

 

     #  ONGC will not have any IPR ( Intellectual Property Right ) for the winning designs

        , which will vest in the INNOVATOR .

 

         However , the innovator would be required to license any party / person for the

         manufacture , without any licence fee / royalty

Apparently , my email did have some effect , since ONGC , later on , came out with the following “ performance features “ on its website :

1.    The broad performance features expected from Solar Chula among other things

include :

i.                Solar Chulha should work on solar energy ( solar thermal or PV ) or any other

          renewable energy as source of energy which can be easily accessed or made

          available in any house hold kitchen.

ii.            It should be possible to keep the chulha all time inside the kitchen for cooking

        purposes ( including frying, baking and chapati making ), similar to traditional

        commercially available cook stoves which work on LPG or other fuels.

iii.        It should be possible to use the Solar chulha on need basis any time during the

Day / night ( 24X7 ) basis.

iv.        It should be suitable for built up of materials which are easily available and can be

    disposed safely and can be mass produced with economies of scale.

v.        It can be used independently or in conjunction with the grid, as the case may be.

vi.        The solar chulha must meet safety requirements for use in any house hold.

vii.        It should be able to provide sufficient meals for a family of five. 

During the night time

    it will work on stored energy with energy storage, having a life of around 2500 cycles.

2.    The estimated cost of the solar chulha along with the energy source preferably

     not exceed Rs. 10,000/- per unit. ( For a volume of few lac units ).

[ Source :

https://startup.ongc.co.in/wps/wcm/connect/ongcstartup/apply_now/solar_chulha_challenge#main-content  ]

Congratulations to :

#  Winner of 1^st Prize  >  SoULS team of IIT – Bombay

    [ chetanss@iitb.ac.in  /  ncnsolar@gmail.com  /  jay.venkateswaran@gmail.com  /

     sudesh@iitb.ac.in ]

#  Winner of 2^nd Prize  >  BMS College of Engineering ( Bangalore )

    ( registrar@bmsce.ac.in  )

#   Winner of 3^rd Prize  >  National Institute of Technology – Kurukshetra

 

     ( registrar@nitkkr.ac.in  )

Dear ,

Shri Dharmendra Pradhanji  (  min.png@nic.in / d.pradhan@sansad.nic.in )

Shri Shashi Shankerji – CMD - ONGC  ( cmd@ongc.co.in  )

At the outset , hearty congratulations on this initiative having a revolutionary potential

This solar chulha is the answer to save the lives of millions of women in rural India

It is possible that private sector industries may not think of getting into the manufacture / distribution of this product , since it may not be adequately profitable

But , if government can give subsidies for Electric cars ( FAME ) and Electricity connections to villages ( SAUBHGYA ) , then why not for Solar Chulhas ?

Would that not be far better than giving subsidy for LPG ?

And , for PNG – Bio Fuels , as suggested by NITI Aayog ?

Of course , the opposition will cry : You are trying to bribe village women for 2019 !

Please ignore them

They don’t have to worry about crude oil price crossing $ 100 / barrel !

17  July  2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs