..pedicabs

["Komaragiri, Param (Param)** CTR **" <param@lucent.com>]

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Some of the Rickshaws (may be nicely named some thing else may be
pedicabs
as they are else where called !)
These are what I was mentioning along with large scale solar and
electric
mass tranportaion in urban areas, to 'minimise' our dependance on fossil

fuels.Seems there is a drive in Taj Mahal area to protect the 'so
called'
monument from pollution and schemes are developed
to come up with lightweight, multi-geared rickshaw to ply around Taj.

But the vehicle I am advocating is not the typical symbol of proletariet

tool in communistic terms (rickshaw).This is 'Pedicab', which may soon
become, or 'should' become a 'Fashionable' means of short distance
tranport
! With novel designs, lightweight materials, more and more 'Ergonomical'

designs evolved both for drivers and passengers, multi-geared,surely
many a
household will have a pedicab or a hybrid car or 'BOTH', and still
depend on
long distance transportation for Trains or Buses. Ofcourse as it has
been
insisted, highway transport indeed occupies major chunk of fuel but
urban
transportation thus revolutionised, by no means contributes to any less
cut
in gulf oil dependance. More over it gives us a cleaner urban locales.
Pl
refer to following urls for such pedicabs I am dreaming about ! I am
still
trying to gather some more information regarding such vehicles.
Imagine every town/city where all downtown roads are dedicated to
non-fuel
vehicles !
www.pedicab.com
www.sheldonbrown.com/pedicab.com
portlandpedicab.com

Large scale solar power, coupled with mass transportation predominantly
electric is one big-stroke solution for us. This inturn can be supported
by
hybrid cars ( electric hybrid)...which again depends on more
electricity.Already starving for power where do we get it with out long
gestation periods and high costs, etc. Only viable solution is solar.
The
one and only one experimentatl plant coming up in Kutch area, for only
30MW
combined with 120 MW Natural Gas, is in what kind of shambles after
quake ,
no body knows.The cost ( so far minimum ) is 2500 us dollars per KW
which is
enormous indeed, which returns capital with 3 RS per unit (
kilowatt-hour)
price , in 20-24 yrs -  a very long period for any pvt enterpreneur to
venture.But the point is, such methods can reduce the cost from $2500 to
as
low as $250 I believe, if only the material is produced in India itself.

Emphasis is on solar because Bio-Gas, Methanisation etc can not 'Scale'
to
such numbers as 50 MW 100MW etc ! Other than hydel which is seasonal,
(very
long gestation period ), Coal based thermal plants, ( polluting, already

many existing-- infact they are our life lines), Nuclear ( Ohh no
knowledge
in that.. no interest after chernobyl).. the only viable, alternative is

largesacle solar power for India !

I learnt from kjcsolar that people from L&T, engineers india ltd etc
visited
the plant. If some body on this forum is closely associated with any big

shot of L&T, and why such a plant no body- even after visiting -- is
taking
up some where, it will be enlightening to me and all.

Parameswar


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