In Ladakh region, with the temperature dropping down to -25 to -30 Degree Celsius in winter, room heating, primarily in the evening and early morning, is not a choice but a matter of need for survival. The conventional method of room heating is use of the kitchen stove and Chullah (stove) fuelled with dung, wood and kerosene. LEDeG has been trying to address the problem of space heating through the use of solar energy. The Trombe wall technology is an extremely simple technology built on the principle of passive solar gain and minimisation of heat loss through various designs and insulation techniques.

In 1984, in collaboration with the Ladakh project, LEDeG installed 75 solar retrofitted houses. A Trombe house can reduce reliance on heating fuels by about two-third, besides reducing indoor air pollution and health hazards. Under the project titled ‘Integrated Development of Durbuk Block Using Renewable Energy Resources’, LEDeG retrofitted 135 houses with Trombe wall in Durbuk block of Leh district.

Aditya Solar Shop and Service Centre

Aditya solar shop, promoted by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNRE), was established in the year 2001 at LEDeG’s Karzoo centre. The shop is a showroom cum sale centre for various non-conventional energy and energy efficient devices, particularly solar based devices such as Home Light Systems, Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) modules, Parabolic Solar Cookers (SK10 and SK14), LED Torches, Batteries, Components and Spare Parts. The shop also provides a servicing facility for various solar devices.

A sustained subsidy support, made available by the central and state government for the past few years, has made LEDeG’s Aditya solar shop a big success. However, due to the withdrawal of the subsidy in the current financial year, the sales from the shop have been modest. Nonetheless, the centre is committed to providing sustained technical, servicing and maintenance support for the growth of non renewable sources of energy in Ladakh.

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