Greentech Lead India: Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah inaugurated a 50 KWp solar photovoltaic power plant on the rooftop of Paryavaran Bhawan, Chandigarh.
The solar power plant is capable of generating 65,000 units of electricity per year. The cost of the Power Plant is Rs.90.40 lac (50 percent contribution from Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Government of India) with 10 years Operation and Maintenance
The Minister also inaugurated a 100 KWp solar photovoltaic power plant on the rooftop of Model Central Jail, Burail, Chandigarh. The cost of this power plant is Rs.143 lac (50 percent contribution from MNRE, Govt. of India) with 10 years Operation and Maintenance.
These rooftop power plants are built up as part of solar city program of Government of India under which 54 cities have been selected to become solar cities in the country. Chandigarh is one of these solar cities.
Chandigarh has a plan to cover almost all Government buildings with solar rooftop power plants so that each building is able to generate a part of its power requirement through its own power plant thereby reducing the demand of electricity and using more and more of clean energy.
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has already sanctioned projects to cover 30 Government buildings in Chandigarh, which will generate 3 MWp of solar power.
Efforts will be made to cover all the Government buildings in Chandigarh with solar power plants and solar water heaters. Private building owners would also be encouraged to set up solar rooftops. These power plants would be connected with the grid so that surplus power can be fed into the grid.
Dr. Abdullah also requested the State of Punjab to use of solar powered pumps for irrigation as this would help in providing irrigation water to the farmers during day time and save electricity. He also requested that solar based steam cooking systems should be installed in all the religious institutions in the State. Such a system was installed in Golden Temple, Amritsar.
The government is proposed to add 30000 MW of grid connected renewable power during the current Five Year Plan and also encourage off-grid applications of renewable energy in a big way.