Indore Crosses Another Milestone in Rooftop Solar Installations

At a time when an increasing number of buildings in India are choosing to install rooftop solar plants, Indore has created yet another benchmark by green-lighting a project for the installation of the biggest such plant at the Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV)’s UTD campus. “The work of installing the solar panels on the rooftop of the teaching departments has begun,” said Prof. Deepak Mehta, in-charge of the UTD campus. The solar panels will be installed on the rooftops of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), School of Commerce, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, School of Computer Science, etc.

While the work is in progress at IET, IMS and EMRC, the solar panels have been sent to other departments for installation. “A total of 670 KW power plant is to be installed,” informed Prof. S P Singh, head of the School of Energy and Environmental Studies (EMRC). Nearly six years after it lost a grant of Rs 2 crore meant for installing a photovoltaic system, DAVV with help from Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited is setting up this photovoltaic system on its UTD campus. The project cost would be borne by Urja Vikas Nigam or its partner company Mundra.

The power generated from the solar plant would cost Rs 1.91 per unit to the university, which it will pay to Mundra. Special meters will be installed on the UTD campus, which will separately measure power drawn from the distribution company and the solar plant. In 2011 and 2012, the UGC had approved a grant of Rs 2 crore in two different installments for installing photovoltaic systems on its UTD campus but grants could not be utilised and it lapsed in 2013. After that, the university announced to set up 1 MW solar plant in 2017 but it was unable to implement the project.

The university wants the solar power plant to be set up before November 21 so that it can help in gaining good score from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), a statutory body of UGC, which awards grades to institutions of higher learning. The NAAC awards points to universities for best practices and installation of power plants falls in that category.

Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN) was established by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in 1982 as a nodal agency for implementing various programs and policies of the Government of India as well as the state government for the renewable energy sector. Its scope of activities extends from implementing various schemes for meeting the energy needs of rural areas to the promotion and setting up of industrial and commercial projects for the use of non-conventional power. Besides implementing all government-sponsored programs and projects in this sector, MPUVN creates awareness about the benefits of energy conservation and renewable energy among users of various forms of energy.

The corporation has a large technically trained manpower well-versed in energy audit studies as well as consultancy studies for total energy management for client industries. It not only conducts energy audits for suggesting ways of saving on conventional power but also carries out feasibility studies for the uses of non-conventional energy. It is the only such agency in the country with a full-fledged Energy Management Cell set up exclusively for this purpose. To date it has completed over 230 energy studies for private industries in the state.