The Diamond City will start producing nearly 3.35 lakh units of solar
power per year from next month. Solar roof top panels with a capacity
of generating 1,250 kilowatt (kw) are functional at 15 places. Surat is to become one of the solar cities in India under the solar
mission of Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE).
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) started production of solar power
last April by installing 500 kw solar panels atop Science Center and has
produced 1.35 lakh units of electricity in one year. Roof top panels have been installed at Katargam water works, eight
water distribution centres, Varachha and Limbayat zone office, Narmad
library building, SMIMER College and SMC main building at Mugalsarai.
Together they have a capacity of 750kw.
“Solar panels at all these places are under the testing phase and
will become operative by April 1. The production of electricity from
these places will be directly fed to distribution grid of Torrent power
which is the energy regulator here. We will be paid Rs 11.57 per unit as
decided under MoU with Torrent,” said Jatin Shah, city engineer with
SMC. This solar power generation will save SMC nearly Rs 45 lakh. “We are planning to expand our solar power generation capacity to
3,000 kw by the end of 2015,” said Shah. SMC aims to achieve its goal of
producing more than 90 per cent of its energy requirements through
non-conventional sources by 2015-16. Industries will have to be
persuaded to produce green energy as SMC’s green energy production
constitutes only a very small part of the city’s total requirements.
Source:- indianpowersector.com
No comments:
Post a Comment