MCT taps solar power, earns money

Tirupati: The Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) is far ahead of other municipalities in reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by generating the solar power. Six months ago, the Engineering wing of the MCT had set up solar power generation panels on four government school rooftops at a cost of Rs 3.6 crore. The solar panels were installed by Savithra solar company.

The Engineering department is monitoring the generation power. In the last 2 months, solar power generation has increased gradually. The actual total capacity of solar rooftop panels is 746 kilowatt per day. Before February, power generated was below 500 kilowatts. With the increase of mercury levels, the power generation has reached up to 686 kilowatts.

There is considerable reduction of carbon monoxide in temple city by generation of solar power, according to civic body's Engineering wing. In the last six months, solar panels have generated 8,625 kilowatt per month and reduced 62.2 tonnes of carbon monoxide and 1.9 tonnes of sulphur dioxide. Till now, on an average 62,386 kilowatt of solar power was generated.

The MCT saved 25 tonnes of coal through solar energy generation and gained Rs 46.7 lakh. They have been supplying the generated solar power to the Southern Power Distribution Corporation limited (SPDCL) via net metre facility. Every day, municipal Engineer B Chandrashekar is monitoring the solar power generation by rooftop panels through online.

GPS was fitted to solar rooftop panels to monitor the power generation hourly basis and to know the sun light on that day. Speaking to The Hans India, Chandrashekar said that every day in the morning hours solar power generation is monitored. "If I found any fault among four solar power plants, immediately I will alert the consultant company to resume the power generation," he stated.