Electrification of India

Energy is at the core of economic development and in the two defining moments of world economic history, the agricultural revolution and the industrial revolution, energy played a crucial role. In the former, through the development of agricultural techniques, human societies began to harness energy from the sun on a massive scale. In the latter, industrial processes have been developed through the exploitation of solar energy stored in fossil fuels.

There are two types of Electricity, Static Electricity and Current Electricity. Static Electricity is made by rubbing together two or more objects and making friction while Current electricity is the flow of electric charge across an electrical field.

Static Electricity

Static electricity is when electrical charges build up on the surface of a material. It is usually caused by rubbing materials together. For Example rub a balloon on a wool and hold it up to the wall.

Current Electricity

Current is the rate of flow of electrons. It is produced by moving electrons and it is measured in amperes. With electricity, current is a measure of the amount of energy transferred over a period of time. That energy is called a flow of electrons. One of the results of current is the heating of the conductor. When an electric stove heats up, it's because of the flow of current.

The past decade has seen a rapid expansion of power lines across India, with laggard states catching up with the rest of the country in electrifying villages that had remained in the dark so long. Yet, most states which saw a sharp growth in rural electrification between 2004-05 and 2013-14 have seen little increase in actual power consumption in rural areas, according to consumption data recently published by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).

The faster pace of electrification has not changed the lives of the average citizen in these states much. Madhya Pradesh, which has been projected as a model of electrification, with nearly all its villages electrified by 2011-12, shows a fall of 0.4 units in rural per capita consumption of electricity between 2004-05 and 2011-12 against a national increase of 3.4 units in rural per capita power consumption over the same period. Several northeastern states which saw rapid rural electrification during this period also saw a decrease in per capita consumption of electricity over this period.

Top states which took a big leap in rural electrification over the past few years don’t fare well when it comes to gains in rural power consumption (see chart). Between 2004-05 and 2011-12, Jharkhand claims the most rapid pace of electrification of its villages, with an impressive 89% villages electrified by 2011-12, a jump of 56 percentage points over 2004-05. However, the consumption of electricity per capita in the state has risen by a mere 1.5 units.

Rural electricity access in India is currently inadequate for needs of the rural population, and there is observed and revealed willingness to pay for better electricity supply. The Indian government is pursuing large scale initiatives towards greater access mainly through grid expansion. The correct combination of financial support mechanisms and adjustments in the regulatory framework could allow innovative approaches to rural electrification to thrive alongside the centralized grid expansion approach.

Copper uses in Electricity

With its exceptional current carrying capacity, copper is more efficient than any other electrical conductor Because of its superior conductivity, annealed copper is the international standard to which all other electrical conductors are compared . In 1913, the international Electro-Technical Commission set the conductivity of copper at 100% in their International annealed Copper Standard (IACS). This means that copper provides more current carrying capacity for a given diameter of wire than any other engineering metal. Today, copper conductors used in building wire actually have a conductivity rating of 100% or better, based on the IACS scale.   

Pure copper has the highest electrical conductivity of any commercial metal. This property makes it the preferred material for power and telecommunications cables, magnet (winding) wire, printed circuit board conductors and a host of other electrical applications. Copper has sufficient strength, ductility and hardness for these applications at operating temperatures up to 100°C. For many other applications, however, the demands of electrical technology require copper to have higher mechanical properties and to be capable of use at elevated operating temperatures while still retaining the good conductivity for which it is selected in the first place.

Copper is the optimal material for electric current conductors. It combines high electric conductivity and a reasonable price. But many wire and cable applications require a strength which exceeds the strength attainable with pure copper wire, e.g. connector pins. In these cases the use of copper alloys becomes necessary. Strength increase in alloys is possible by two different metallurgical effects, solid solution hardening and precipitation hardening. Brass and bronze are widely used solid solution hardened alloys. Certain high copper alloys with low contents of alloying elements, e.g. Ni, Si, and Cr, are precipitation hardened and offer an interesting combination of high strength, good electrical conductivity and relaxation resistance.

With copper, you get:

Superior current carrying capacity for narrower conduits

Easier installation – no need for special connectors, tools, compounds and procedures

Wire fill and expansion possibilities

Resistance to stretching, neck-down, creep, nicks, breaks and corrosion

No extra maintenance and repair calls due to poor performance and breakdowns

Extra protection against liability for possible problems in service Over the life of your system, the strength, efficiency and performance of copper almost always make it the most cost-effective wiring material available today.

Copper

History of Copper

The discovery of copper dates from prehistoric times. There are reports of copper beads dating back to 9000BC found in Iraq. Methods for refining copper from its ores were discovered around 5000BC and a 1000 or so years later it was being used in pottery in North Africa.

Part of the reason for it being used so early is simply that it is relatively easy to shape. However it is somewhat too soft for many tools and around 5000 years ago it was discovered that when copper is mixed with other metals the resulting alloys are harder than copper itself. As examples, brass is a mixture of copper and zinc while bronze is a mixture of copper and tin. Since then it has evolved significantly and below are the present applications of copper. 

Architectural Applications

Copper is heavily employed in the construction industry. It is commonly found in buildings because it is waterproof. This makes it suitable for cladding, roofing and plumbing. It is also applied in freestanding structures because of its light weight and durability. Lightning rods and roofs are often built of copper.

Industrial Applications

The metal’s high ductility makes it a practical tool for industrial use. It is the third most widely used metal in industries next to aluminum and iron. It is commonly used in shipbuilding. The metal is alloyed with nickel.

Uses of Copper in Electricity 

More than half of the copper produced is for electricity. Its core functions are transmission of electricity and power generation. The metal is employed in generators, bushbars, motors and transformers. Properly set the metal produces electricity efficiently and safely. The metal is also used in wiring and electrical equipment. It is present in mobile phones, TV and computers.

Practical Daily Application of Copper

The metallic element is applied in fixtures, doorknobs and other elements in a house. Copper electroplated nickel silver is used for some knives, spoons, knives and frying pans. The same material is used for counters, sinks, bathtubs, and heating cylinders. As pigmented salt the metal can be used for sculptures, statues and decorative art.