In such a grim scenario, two big print firms in Sivakasi, Lovely Offset Printers and Sel Jegat have opted for a solar energy project in their factory premise. Lovely has 100kw capabilities, while Sel Jegat can generate 65kw.

K Selvakumar, director of Lovely said, "We are embarking on the solar path in a small way. The issue is effective implementation. If we can achieve it, we will enforce provisions such as solar power purchase obligation, which mandates assured minimum usage of the renewable energy."

The state government has announced the Tamil Nadu State Solar Energy Policy 2012 which targets establishment of 3,000mw of solar power generation by 2015, provides generation-based incentives for roof-top systems, mandates 6 per cent minimum purchase obligation from 2014, beginning with 3 per cent next year, and provides a package of incentives for solar equipment manufacturers.

Selvakumar and V S Raveendran feel solar power is costly but can be competitive compared with other sources of power.

Tami Nadu is trying to generate through wind energy. In fact the month of May has been better for Sivakasi because of power from the wind mills in Nagercoil. But Balasubramanian felt the potential of "wind power is under-utilised in Tamil Nadu". The World Institute’s study in Tamil Nadu indicated that just on wasteland alone over 35,000 MW of wind power generation could be established against 6,000 MW in place.

He reminded PrintWeek India of how owners of over 2,000 small and micro-industries had staged a protest in October 2012 for one day. He said, "The owners and employees of the units stopped production for a day as part of the protest and also besieged the TNEB office there and raised slogans demanding regular power supply. Our print units suffered a huge loss due to power cuts."

The TNEB offered to look into the matter. So far there has been no progress.

Raveedran of Sel Jegat stated, "Ours is a small experiment with solar energy. We can light up our factory with it." 

It's a start. If it takes off then Tamil Nadu's target of establishing 1,000 MW of solar power generation a year for three years is a viable target.