Leh (08.10.2022): Power Foundation of India in association with Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) is running a campaign to create awareness on Agni Tattva under LiFE -- Lifestyle for the environment. Under the campaign, conferences, seminars, events, and exhibitions are being organised across the country involving educational institutions, communities, and relevant organisations to create awareness of the core concept of Agni Tattva, an element that is synonymous with energy and is amongst the five elements of Panchmahabhoot.

The first conference was organised recently in Leh on the theme of ‘Sustainability and Culture’ which witnessed participation from key stakeholders working in the areas of energy, culture, and sustainability, from diverse fields such as administration, policymakers, academics, and start-ups.

R K Mathur, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, said that Ladakh always had a sustainable lifestyle, however, increased modernisation is leading to an imbalance in the ecosystem of the region, and this not only adversely impacts the region but could also alter the monsoon cycle of the entire country since it is inter-linked with the Himalayan ecosystem. He further added that the UT administration of Ladakh has laid out a clear roadmap to reverse this imbalance and move toward sustainable development. He emphasized several key areas.

Ladakh has immense solar energy potential, which should be harnessed. Ladakh should work towards generating systems to provide power to remote areas. The focus is to provide decentralized renewable solar power across Ladakh thereby reducing grid dependency. This is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of a Carbon Neutral Ladakh.

Geothermal energy is another focus area that holds immense potential in the Ladakh region. Unlike other renewable energy sources, which are intermittent in nature, it is available throughout the day and the year and should be suitably harnessed.

Green Hydrogen is another option in Ladakh, as the region has plenty of solar energy. It also has water. The Hydrogen harnessed from this could be used to substitute petrol and diesel and the oxygen could be used in hospitals and by tourists.

The Agni Tattva campaign - Energy for LiFE, an initiative under the umbrella campaign of Sumangalam, was launched by R K Singh, Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, in New Delhi on September 21, 2022. A series of seminars spanning the length and breadth of the country have been planned as a part of the campaign.

Power Foundation of India is a Society formed under the aegis of the Ministry of Power, Government of India, and supported by leading CPSEs. The Foundation is involved in areas of advocacy and research, positively impacting the evolving energy landscape.