On a fast track to develop Chandigarh into a ‘solar city’, the UT Administration has proposed inclusion of more Government buildings under the ambitious ‘solar city’ project.
To tap sun’s radiant energy, the UT Administration has chalked out a plan to install rooftop solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plants at Punjab Raj Bhawan, 40 Government schools, 230 private houses, Dhanas rehabilitation colony and more Government buildings by next year.
While talking to The Pioneer, Santosh Kumar, Director Science & Technology Department and CEO of Chandigarh Renewable Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) said, “A 25 KW SPV power plant would be installed on the rooftop of Punjab Raj Bhawan. Besides, the Department would soon install a 4 KW SPV power plant in rehabilitation colony at Dhanas, 1,000 KWP SPV power plant in PEC University of Technology and other city colleges.
The 1,000 KWP SPV power plant to be commissioned at PEC, would be country’s largest rooftop SPV power plant in a single institution. In another significant move towards solar power generation and energy conservation, the Science & Technology Department would install SPV power plants in 40 Government schools of the city. The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has already given approval in this regard.
Santosh said, “SPV power plant of 30-35 KWP in small schools and 50-60 KWP in big schools of the Union Territory of Chandigarh would be commissioned. The proposed SPV power plant would be interactive with the grid system so as to transfer the extra power supply to the main grid system of Chandigarh.” Also, the MNRE has given a go-ahead to UT Administration for the installation of SPV power plants in 230 private houses of the city.
The CEO CREST, Santosh said, “The CREST will launch a new scheme for the city residents. And, they can install smaller capacity SPV power plants of 1 KW, 2 KW, 3 KW, 5 KW capacity etc on their rooftop and can avail 30 percent subsidy of MNRE.” He added, “Also, those residents who have inverter and battery system at their houses to deal with power cut can just retrofit their existing system with solar panel and charge controller and they can start using solar energy by spending Rs 25,000 only.”