75 Civic Schools to utilize Solar Energy

As part of the civic body's solar project, solar panels will be installed in 75 more civic schools in the coming months. Previously, such panels were installed at a TMC school in Vartak Nagar in November. Under the project, all academic institutions will utilise electricity generated from the solar panels.

The solar panels will have a total capacity of 267 KW and will generate as much as 1,000 units of electricity on a  daily basis.

This initiative was announced during the education budget this year (which was Rs 2.25 crore) and it finally received a clearance from the members of the general body. Civic officials claimed that the tendering process is in its final stage.

"The main objective is to adopt environment-friendly means. We want to reduce our dependency on Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). So, we are making all our schools self sufficient. In this way we will also be giving students practical training on what we teach them in school,'' said Sunil Pote, deputy city engineer.

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Interestingly, the corporation will also be installing net metering system with which the surplus energy that is generated and left unutilized can be diverted to the grid of the MSEDCL.

"Schools have around two to three months of vacations in a year, including weekend offs, Diwali and summer holidays and government holidays. The energy produced during this period would have to be stored in batteries but they are expensive. So, we decided to directly transfer this excess energy to the MSEDCL's power grid. In return for the energy, the corporation will receive credit. This amount can be debited from the corporation's electricity bills. The entire system will be automated," Pote said.

Around 30% of the cost for the project will be funded as grants by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the government of India.

Image courtesy: pluginindia.com

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