I just came across
a news report that Baroda Electric Meters have just launched a bike powered by a Solar Panel mounted on its rear wheel
For several years now , I have been advocating
introduction of Electric Cars which are
partially powered by PV Solar Panels integrated into
their roof
Some years ago , I
also came across a Battery powered bike ( with battery mounted on a quickly
detachable front wheel ).
I urged Indian bike
manufacturers to introduce such an innovation in India
Reference :
A Radical Radial Revolution !.......................,,,,,,,,,,,, 18 Aug 2016
Connecting the News .. ………………………………………………….18 June 2018
TVS buys EGO : Will HERO buy GEO ? ………………………. 17 Sept 2021
Congratulations, Dr. Yogesh Bhatiaji ………………………….. 18 Apr 2022
Why do we need ( and urgently too ), Solar powered Elactric Bikes ?
# Vehicular traffic , besides congesting our
roads, causes Air Pollution / warming
# Attempts to make car owners to give up cars
and use Public Transport , are not working
# India’s vehicle population > 326
million ( by 2020 ) { could be 360 million now }
# In the year
2022, the number of registered 4-wheeler in India is 7 crores, while the number of 2-wheeler is
# More than 80% of all the
trips and 68% of the total distance made on these vehicles are to destinations at
# In metros, 50 % of cars are self-driven ( driver is
the sole occupant )
# Cars cause roadside parking problems ,
blocking smooth flow of traffic
# On an ave. a car is being driven for just
2/3 hours per day ( 8-12% utilization of asset costing Rs 15 lakh
)
In light of the foregoing observations, let us examine the Solar Panel powered bike of BEM :
|
Parameter |
EVs
(Electric Vehicles) |
ICE
Vehicles |
|
|
|
Fuel |
Solar |
Electricity (Night Charging= Fossil
Fuel) |
Petrol/ Gas |
|
|
Efficiency |
85% (DC to DC) |
40% (Fuel to AC to DC) |
25% (Fuel to Heat and Power) |
|
|
Polluting |
No |
Yes (at Power Plants) |
Yes (on Roads) |
|
|
Health |
Pedal or Pedal Assist Modes |
None |
None |
|
|
RTO Registration |
No |
No/ Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Cost |
₹20K |
₹80K (with Govt. subsidy) |
₹60K |
My Suggestions :
We need to take
some VERY URGENT steps to promote Solar Powered bikes. Here are some :
( A ) INCENTIVIZING MANUFACTURERS :
( 1 ) Steps to be taken by the Central Government :
# Bring out a Production Linked Incentive scheme ( for existing and new
units )
#
Reduce GST to 0 % ( ZERO percent ) for next 5 years
# For 5 years, no Corporate Income Tax ( only on revenue earned from
sale of Solar Bikes )
( 2 ) Steps to be taken by the State Governments :
#
No State / Municipal levies of any kind
#
Exclusive Bike – Tracks in all cities and towns
# Totally fenced and guarded, FREE , ( open to sky ) e-bike parks, one
in
every 5 Km radius .
( B ) INCENTIVIZING CONSUMERS
:
For incentivizing
users , there are following two options :
( 1 ) A one time cash subsidy ( only on NEW solar bikes purchased from
authorized / govt notified
down the ownership cost in the hands of a consumer to Rs 15,000 ) .
This subsidy to be limited to only ONE MEMBER per family
Disbursement of subsidy will be controlled by a SOLAR SUBSIDY
PORTAL , in which , the dealer will enter full details about the customer
( including her Aadhar No / PAN / Jan Dhan Bank Account Number
/ Driving License / Ration Card – if any / Biometric etc )
Upon inquiry ( to purchase a Solar bike ) from a prospective customer ,
dealer will search the database
she is a FIRST TIME customer. This will prevent duplicate subsidy
payments to the same person .
This is
not a foolproof method and pauses problems of :
( a ) More than one member of same family , taking advantage of this
scheme
( b ) A person selling off her Solar bike within a few days of getting the
subsidy amount
( 2 ) I believe, that by 2025 , manufacturers of Solar powered bikes would
start installing IoT –
the “ Number of Km run per day “ – and relay this data to a central govt
portal –based DATA-BASE , for each bike ( uniquely identified ) .
This may
Incentive Scheme “, for the bike user, in place of a FIXED one time
subsidy of Rs 10,000 suggested above
For users who opt for such Km based subsidy scheme ( say, Rs 2 per Km ?
), the upper limit can
Buyer ( user ) would need to download , from SUBSIDY SERVER , a mobile
app ( SOLARIKE ? ) and
At anytime , in this App , user can see full statistics of
usage ( Km run on bike ) and “ subsidy earned “
In addition , under such “ Phased out Subsidy Scheme “, the concerned
Solar bike
1,000 Km run of that bike .
Manufacturer earning such Carbon Credit , would be able to sell it on
Carbon Trading Market
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
www.hemenparekh.ai / 22 Nov 2023
When I consulted BARD re what it thought about my suggestions , this is how
it replied :
I think your suggestions for
promoting solar-powered bicycles are very well thought-out and comprehensive.
I
believe that a combination of incentives for both manufacturers and consumers
would be very effective in encouraging the adoption of these environmentally
friendly vehicles.
I particularly like the idea of a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturers.
This would help to reduce the cost of solar-powered bicycles, making them more affordable for consumers.
I also think that the GST reduction and Corporate Income Tax
exemption would be helpful in attracting new manufacturers to the sector.
On the consumer side, I think the one-time cash subsidy of Rs 10,000 would be a good incentive for people to buy solar-powered bicycles.
I also think that the IoT-enabled sensor system is a
great idea. This would allow the government to track the number of kilometers run
by each bike and provide incentives to users based on this data.
Overall, I believe that your suggestions have the potential to make a real difference in promoting the adoption of solar-powered bicycles in India.
I encourage you to share your
ideas with policymakers and other stakeholders in the sector.
Here are some additional thoughts on
your suggestions:
·
The
government could also consider offering tax breaks to companies that purchase
solar-powered bicycles for their employees.
·
The
government could also invest in public awareness campaigns to educate people
about the benefits of solar-powered bicycles.
·
The
government could also work with universities and research institutions to
develop new technologies for solar-powered bicycles.
I believe that by taking these
steps, India could become a leader in the development and adoption of
solar-powered bicycles.
And here is how ChatGPT replied :
Your suggestions for popularizing solar-powered bikes through government incentives for both manufacturers and consumers are comprehensive and well-intentioned.
They aim to address critical issues like pollution, traffic congestion, and low vehicle utilization while promoting sustainable transportation solutions.
Here's a breakdown of your suggestions
and their potential impact:
Advantages
of Solar-Powered Bikes:
· Efficiency and Environmental Impact:
Highlighting the efficiency and environmental
benefits of solar bikes compared to electric and internal combustion engine
(ICE) vehicles is crucial. Solar bikes produce no emissions during use and have
higher efficiency rates.
· Utilization and Traffic Solutions:
Emphasizing that most trips are short distances,
mainly within 8 km, supports the argument for using solar bikes for short
commutes, reducing traffic congestion caused by cars.
Suggestions
for Manufacturers:
· Central Government Incentives:
Proposing a Production Linked Incentive scheme,
reducing GST to 0%, and exempting Corporate Income Tax for revenue from solar
bike sales incentivizes manufacturers to produce more solar bikes.
· State Government Support:
Initiatives like exclusive bike tracks and free,
guarded e-bike parks promote a conducive environment for solar bike usage,
encouraging more people to adopt them.
Consumer
Incentives:
· Cash Subsidy:
Offering a one-time cash subsidy for new solar
bikes purchased from authorized dealers reduces the initial ownership cost,
making them more affordable for consumers.
· Kilometer-Based Incentive Scheme:
Suggesting a future incentive system based on
kilometers traveled could encourage users to use their bikes more frequently.
This could be linked to a central government database, allowing for more
targeted and efficient subsidies based on usage.
Environmental
Impact:
· Carbon Credits:
Introducing a system where manufacturers earn
carbon credits based on kilometers traveled by their solar bikes promotes
environmental consciousness and incentivizes the production of eco-friendly
vehicles.
Suggestions
for Improvement:
·
Consider addressing
concerns about infrastructure development for charging solar bikes, as well as
the technological feasibility of implementing IoT-enabled sensors for tracking
kilometers traveled.
·
Analyze the
financial viability and potential challenges of implementing a kilometer-based
incentive scheme in terms of data privacy, administration, and overall
effectiveness.
Your suggestions provide a robust framework for incentivizing solar bike adoption.
Policymakers may need to evaluate the practicality, financial implications, and implementation challenges before rolling out these incentives nationwide.
However, your ideas present a solid
foundation for encouraging the transition to sustainable transportation options
in India.
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