Wheels of power

Twenty seven-year-old Sushil Reddy has been touring across six states in the country on his solar-powered bicycle in an attempt to raise awareness about solar energy

It’s past five in the morning. Sushil Reddy and his team discuss the roadmap for the day as they get themselves comfortable on their cycles. He reaches for his solar-powered bicycle, a prototype he created earlier this year. Currently cycling towards Bhatinda in Punjab, the team covers a little more than 100 km a day, which Sushil reveals is a workable target.

An alumnus of IIT-Bombay from the Energy Science Department, it was while strategising marketing plans for the solar-based start-up kWatt Solutions that he realised the dearth of knowledge about this non-depletable resource. He says, “People have heard about solar panels but they have no idea about its technicalities. I realised that there was a need to educate people in the country about this energy source because there is so much more to it than just a solar panel.”

Encouraged by his IIT-B professor Chetan Solanki, he decided to trek from Mumbai to Goa in December last year to spread awareness about solar energy, and distribute cost-effective battery chargers. When the prototype for his solar bicycle was ready in April this year, he realised it was time to march into a few more states in the country.

In his ‘Sun Pedal Ride’, which is what Sushil calls his endeavour, he has pedalled through patchy roads in towns and villages across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. His itinerary will also cover Punjab, Delhi and parts of Uttrakhand. Spanning over 70 days, the Mumbai resident has covered more than 2,400 km of his 7,000 km goal.

The cycle’s solar panels are attached to a trolley, which supplies power to the tune of 240 watts to a 48 Volt lithium-ion battery. It can cover about 20 kms per hour on a flat road. The cycle takes about four hours to charge, and Sushil says it takes less effort when it comes to pedalling than your average bicycle.

When Sushil was first working on the prototype earlier this year, the solar panel was placed directly above the back wheel. He says, “We had cross wind issues with the previous design. Even placing it in the air made the solar panel wobble which isn’t ideal. So we decided to place it as a horizontal board.”

Sushil and his team cycle early in the morning and post afternoon to keep the heat at bay, joking that it’s his project that has led the team to witness sunrises every day — a first for each member in the team. And when he isn’t inching closer to his target, the Borivali resident conducts lectures and demonstrations across schools and colleges. When asked about what motivated him to take this strenuous journey up, he says, “In the next 20 years, I don’t think we will be able to sustain ourselves with natural gas alone. Solar energy is the energy of the future. Visiting schools and colleges could help students consider a career in the solar energy sector as a serious career prospect.” During the project, the team is looking to raise funds to get solar power for a school in Jatwara.

The 27-year old Sushil is flanked by Rajendra Bhaskar, who is currently in his 3rd semester at IIT-B in energy science; Himanshu Singh, who helps Sushil with technical support for the bicycle and Krunal Tailor, who has a masters in renewable energy. “We have dealt with our tyres getting punctured, for instance. Or there have been times that the bicycle isn’t running as smoothly because this is still a prototype. Having a team around has helped immensely,” he says.

While the journey was planned well in advance, it has turned out to be nothing less than an adventure. They didn’t plan out the accommodation during their journey but managed to find a roof nevertheless. “A few of my friends’ families were gracious enough to host us. Otherwise, we sought shelter across dhabas. On the plus side, this has helped me understand how diverse our food is. I’ve got the chance to sample regional cuisines from Maharashtra to Rajasthan. This wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t decide to embark on this journey.”

Sushil isn’t a stranger to gaping faces or silent admirers on the road. One such instance was when a biker in Porbandar, Gujarat followed the team for almost 4 km to click a selfie with him. He recalls, “This guy followed us and stopped us midway by overtaking us. After he enquired about the project, he requested for a selfie with me. It was a strange experience!” Hailing from a regular middle-class family, it was difficult to convince his parents. Sushil’s father, who works for a private organisation and his mother, a homemaker were concerned about his safety as he decided to pedal through five states. Today, his efforts have the stamp of approval from his parents. He says, “My parents didn’t understand the need for me to travel across cities to talk about solar energy. But they have been warming up to the idea. In fact, my mother is quite supportive about this project now.”