Energetica India 89 - May 2020

SMART CITIES When left untreated, problems like clogging of wastage sys - tems, hazardous dumping in landfills and water bodies result in diseases in humans and animals. Citizens can contribute by producing as minimal waste as possible and facilitating reuse and recycling of the same. Ensuring proper waste management is an essential part of a smart city where automation of the same can be encouraged besides thorough segregation of waste- based on its type, neutralization of wastages before disposing into nature and high health and hygiene standards for hygiene workers all of which are necessary. Wastes can also be put to use as fuel in plants that are concerned with producing energy through incineration etc. acting as agents of energy production. • Rain water and water harvesting system: Rainwater harvesting is a process which involves collection, filtration and storage rainwater that falls from the sky, rather than allowing it to run off and go unused. Many communities in rural as well as urban areas are becoming aware and have begun using this concept which is successfully reducing water charges along with creating a sense of security all-round the year regardless of the annual rainfall. This water can be used for multiple purposes from agriculture and cultivation to domestic and gardening purposes. • Solar powered commercial lighting and cooling appliances: Commercial entities are all around us in the form of offices, cinemas, malls etc. and they demand tremendous amounts of electric energy for lighting and cooling purposes. If these buildings adopt renewable energy sources as their prime source of electric consumption, they can save tremendous amounts of energy. Installing solar panels, hydro powered plants etc. on their terraces, that are typically huge areas, can conserve lots of energy when it comes to lighting and air conditioning appliances that are powered by renewable and inexhaustible solar energy. • Solar powered common utilities such as energy efficient LED light: Solar energy is one of the most versatile renewable energies that can be used as a near perfect substitute for appliances and basic daily utilities especially in metros and big cities. Incandes - cent bulbs use around 90% energy in producing heat that adds to the room temperature sparking more usage of cooling de - vices. LED bulbs not only save energy but are also long lasting up to 10 years and reduce heat production in the room further saving costs on cooling appliances. Every incandescent bulb replaced by energy efficient rated and BEE approved LED bulb results in huge savings in terms of energy along with creating brighter homes and cities in turn. There are many companies in the market that provide innovative ranges of energy efficient lighting solutions creating the perfect ambience, adding to the beauty of homes. • Electric Vehicle and E-vehicle charging stations: Environmental protection is an area of concern globally as well as via sustainable use along with IoT technology and carpooling etc.; citizens are trying to live sustainably and are driving a shift to electric cars. Software and electricity into automobiles are birthing new brands like Tesla to provide electric cars that are causing disruption in the traditional automobile industry. One can expect 15% of new cars to be fully autonomous by 2030, as stated by IBM. While they run on one third cost compared to petrol/diesel, they are also cheaper to maintain as they have very few moving parts. They also help in reducing pollution since they have zero exhaust emissions and further help save lots of energy if made to run on renewable solar energy installed at e-vehicle charging stations. A smart city is meant to benefit its citizens as well as its leader - ship. Ensuring safety at home, smart motion and window/door sensors can be installed that not only detect in-room movement but alsodetect if any door or window was opened simply via receiving text messages on cellphones. They also have the fea - ture of adjusting sensor’s sensitivity of detection and are easy to install and disable via mobile phones itself. Thus, using connect - ed devices, cities can figure out how to become smarter, safer and more efficient too. Day and night vision cameras and alarm systems can be installed to ensure safety which will prove helpful in preventing theft, misbehavior and other crimes and will lead to improvements in the planning of parking, streets etc. through valuable insights and data gatherednot only in homes but on a large scale in cities via smart security and camera systems. One of the most important features of an economyis infrastruc - ture. When there is deployment of sturdy infrastructure in the country, it creates much needed connectivity and nourishment of economic activities. When multiple smart cities will be made to connect with one another, it will create easier transportation of resources, humans and information, to and fro, which is one of the most remarkable parameters of a successful smart city. energetica INDIA- May_2020 27