GUWAHATI: Advocating for sustainable energy development, and as part of its sustainable campus initiative, Tezpur University has installed 1000 KWp solar power rooftop grids on 15 buildings on the campus.
From October 2018 to July 2020, the university has generated 19,68,345 KW of energy.
"The maximum generation in one day is 5,938 KW and the average daily generation during this period is 2,949 KW," the varsity said in a statement.
The highest amount of electricity in a single month generated was 1,12,149 KW in August 2019.
Dr. Sadhan Mahapatra, associate professor of the Department of Energy, who is also the coordinator for the solar plant installation, said that this has effectively reduced the monthly electricity consumption of the campus by 24 percent.
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“The university purchases electricity from Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) at the rate of Rs 6.60/KWh, whereas the solar power plant generated electricity cost is Rs 2.42/KWh. It means that the solar rooftop scheme is cheaper than buying electricity from commercial rates,” he added.
Further, the solar power generation has also helped to reduce the 1,614 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission.
“The university is glad to be part of the nation’s commitment at Paris Agreement and National Solar Mission (under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy), which has taken policy initiatives under the National Action Plan for Climate Change of the Government of India to promote solar power. We are committed towards the nation’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emission by using renewable sources of energy,” Dr. Mahapatra said.
Notably, under the Paris Agreement, India has committed to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 33-35 per cent below 2005 levels and achieve 40 per cent of its electricity generation from non-fossil sources by 2030.
He further added that the rooftop solar power projects have several advantages like savings in transmission and distribution losses, low gestation time, reduction in electricity bill and saving of battery, thus reducing the system capital cost.
The project was developed under the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) scheme for government buildings under RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) mode.
“Tezpur University is the first academic institution to initiate the installation of MW scale rooftop grid-connected solar PV power plant in the entire North East. The university entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the developer – Arunachal Pradesh Power Corporation Pvt Ltd, New Delhi – for a 25-year period at a flat tariff of Rs 2.42/KWh during 2018 for installation of the power plant,” said Dr Biren Das, Registrar of the university.
“Currently, out of 15 buildings, where the solar power plant is installed, the net electricity consumption of 11 buildings is nil or these buildings can be named as electricity neutral buildings,” he further added.
