Greener & cheaper: Odisha electrician's solar-powered bicycle fuels hope

An electrician in Odisha's Kendrapara district has rigged up a bicycle with solar power to create an electric cycle which can travel at a speed of 25 km per hour. Soumya Ranjan Palei from Pegarapada in Rajnika block, about 120 kms northeast of Bhubaneswar, after many trials and errors.

An electrician by training, the 28-year-old fitted solar panels on the bicycle besides an engine which could run the cycle. He took three months to make the bicycle ready for the road. travelled more than 110 km from his home to Balasore on Saturday.

"It took me seven hours for the journey with periodic rest on the way," Palei said. "On the way, my bicycle drew curious crowds."

The bicycle has a solar panel on its roof and it is used to charge the batteries. The total cost of inputs is estimated at Rs 40,000. The bicycle needs to be kept under sunlight for five to six hours for a full charge, after which it can run for about 150 km without hiccup. Even in the absence of sunlight, it can be charged through an electric socket.

If the batteries run out of charge, then one can use the pedal to reach the destination, Palei said. "With petrol prices going through the roof, solar-powered bicycles will come in handy as a major cost-saving mode of transport," the young innovater said.

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