On 2nd March 2021, Shri Mangal Pandey, Honourable Minister of Health Department, Government of Bihar released a study titled “DRE for Powering Health Infrastructure in Bihar” that assesses the ways in which decentralized renewable energy can help Bihar’s health sector meet its energy needs.
Decentralized renewable energy can contribute immensely to decarbonizing the economy and achieving universal health coverage, particularly in states like Bihar where health infrastructure needs to be strengthened. It is estimated that around 56% health centres in Bihar do not have access to quality electricity. This poses limitations for regular immunization post Covid-19 due to the lack of 24×7 electricity supply.
This study, which was supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, brings in a compelling argument for the integration of DRE across the health sector value chain in Bihar in order to meet the state’s energy and development goals and to improve health indicators in a sustainable way. It identifies energy and health gaps in rural and urban public health centres and proposes health-energy integration to address these gaps. Findings from the study show that:
- DRE has a potential of 266 MW in Bihar’s health sector and can create 13,173 new job opportunities in the state
- DRE has an investment potential of Rs 2470 crores in the state’s health sector
- DRE solutions can help the state avoid 11,20,414 tons of CO2 emissions bringing in several environmental co-benefits
The release of the report was followed by a discussion which revolved around the potential and transformative role of DRE in reviving the economy post-Covid, promoting enterprises and generating employment. While addressing the webinar, Shri Mangal Pandey highlighted the key priority of the state government to provide health services to all under ‘Saat Nishchay-2’ and pledged the commitment to increase the deployment of DRE solutions in all health centres.