After earning the title of "Green City", the capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar is going to get an another title of "Solar City" after the government launching its Solar City Project next month...
Conceived by Chief Minister Narendra Modi about three years ago, the ‘solar city’ project will be implemented in a phased-manner by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), the governing body promoting the production and use of renewable energy in the state.
The bids GEDA had recently invited from private parties to purchase photovoltaic (PV) panels, water heaters and other solar energy devices will be opened and finalised on Monday, according to a senior GEDA official, adding that work on the project will begin by July end.
Gujarat Minister of State for Energy Saurabh Patel told The Indian Express on Saturday: “My department is in the process of evolving a new state solar policy and I am happy that the solar city project, as part of this policy, is finally taking off. Besides its energy conservation aspect, the project also aims at popularising an extensive use of solar energy among the residents of Gandhinagar.”
The government had earlier engaged the Tata Engineering Research Institute (TERI), a private consultancy firm, to prepare a detailed report on the “solar city” project. TERI recently submitted its report to GEDA after conducting a comprehensive survey of residential as well as non-residential premises in Gandhinagar.
In the first phase of the project involving a Rs 30 crore component of solar PV power generation, GEDA will introduce solar-powered street lights on the main thoroughfares of the city. Solar lamp posts will be installed in the public parks and gardens and solar PV panels in the premises of the government-owned multi-storeyed buildings, including the New Sachivalaya complex. In the later stage, a solar-powered air conditioning plant will be set up in the Sachivalaya building. Once this system is in place, it will help the government save on whopping electricity bills, an official said.
“We are also planning to set up an Urja (solar) Park in Gandhinagar under the project, where the various solar and other non-conventional energy models/devices like solar cookers and water heating systems will be exhibited to sensitise local residents on the use of solar energy,” said GEDA director Vagmin Buch.
He said this Urja Park will be created either in the Punit Van or Indroda Park. GEDA has already written to the Forest Department to allot the space in either of these two locations for the proposed Urja Park, he said. Under the solar city project, GEDA will launch a community awareness campaign in the capital city, and involve local NGOs and women organisations to encourage individual users as well as institutional bodies to opt for solar-powered cookers, water heaters, home lights and other applications.
Through this campaign, the local citizens will be educated on the finer aspects of eco-friendly solar technology and the returns on investment on solar appliances.
The government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 5 crore for the implementation of the solar city project. GEDA has also written to the Union Ministry for Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy and urged it to extend financial support to the project under its scheme to promote the tapping of non-conventional energy resources in the country.
The article is taken from : expressindia
Conceived by Chief Minister Narendra Modi about three years ago, the ‘solar city’ project will be implemented in a phased-manner by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), the governing body promoting the production and use of renewable energy in the state.
The bids GEDA had recently invited from private parties to purchase photovoltaic (PV) panels, water heaters and other solar energy devices will be opened and finalised on Monday, according to a senior GEDA official, adding that work on the project will begin by July end.
Gujarat Minister of State for Energy Saurabh Patel told The Indian Express on Saturday: “My department is in the process of evolving a new state solar policy and I am happy that the solar city project, as part of this policy, is finally taking off. Besides its energy conservation aspect, the project also aims at popularising an extensive use of solar energy among the residents of Gandhinagar.”
The government had earlier engaged the Tata Engineering Research Institute (TERI), a private consultancy firm, to prepare a detailed report on the “solar city” project. TERI recently submitted its report to GEDA after conducting a comprehensive survey of residential as well as non-residential premises in Gandhinagar.
In the first phase of the project involving a Rs 30 crore component of solar PV power generation, GEDA will introduce solar-powered street lights on the main thoroughfares of the city. Solar lamp posts will be installed in the public parks and gardens and solar PV panels in the premises of the government-owned multi-storeyed buildings, including the New Sachivalaya complex. In the later stage, a solar-powered air conditioning plant will be set up in the Sachivalaya building. Once this system is in place, it will help the government save on whopping electricity bills, an official said.
“We are also planning to set up an Urja (solar) Park in Gandhinagar under the project, where the various solar and other non-conventional energy models/devices like solar cookers and water heating systems will be exhibited to sensitise local residents on the use of solar energy,” said GEDA director Vagmin Buch.
He said this Urja Park will be created either in the Punit Van or Indroda Park. GEDA has already written to the Forest Department to allot the space in either of these two locations for the proposed Urja Park, he said. Under the solar city project, GEDA will launch a community awareness campaign in the capital city, and involve local NGOs and women organisations to encourage individual users as well as institutional bodies to opt for solar-powered cookers, water heaters, home lights and other applications.
Through this campaign, the local citizens will be educated on the finer aspects of eco-friendly solar technology and the returns on investment on solar appliances.
The government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 5 crore for the implementation of the solar city project. GEDA has also written to the Union Ministry for Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy and urged it to extend financial support to the project under its scheme to promote the tapping of non-conventional energy resources in the country.
The article is taken from : expressindia
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