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The Lakshadweep group of islands in Arabian Sea is one of the two major groups of islands in India. In these islands the main source of electricity is diesel generators, the diesel being transported from the main land to produce over 9 MW of electricity. Considering the remoteness of the island and the polluting nature of the existing plants, it is desirable to adopt a strategy to utilize available potential of non-polluting renewable energy sources for these ecologically sensitive islands. A techno economic and environmental analysis for grid interactive solar photovoltaic power system of Union Territory of Lakshadweep islands is presented. This paper also examines the pollution aspect of power generation through Diesel Generator set and highlights the environmental benefits in using solar energy. Experiences of grid interactive solar photovoltaic power system installed recently in different islands are discussed and suggestions have been made for improving its efficiency and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the costs of environmental degradation of energy use is very important for policy analyses on the one hand and the proper management of the environment on the other. In recent years, some attempts have been made in developed countries to estimate certain environmental costs, especially those related to the electricity sector. However, the environmental costs of electricity generation in developing countries can also be quite important. An attempt has been made in this paper to estimate the environmental costs of coal-based thermal power generation in India. It is found that the costs of environmental impacts are small but not insignificant and results are sensitive to assumptions regarding atmospheric conditions and wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]