A solar electric power plant with a capacity of 950 kW was commissioned on Wednesday at the Yogi Vemana University here by its Vice-Chancellor Attipalli Ramachandra Reddy.
With a generation capacity of 1 kWh a day, the university has among the most eco-friendly campuses in the State. Also, The budget-friendly initiative saves almost ₹1.89 lakh a month in the form of electricity bills.
The plant, which was established under an agreement with the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP), was commissioned in the presence of Executive Council members Goverdhan Reddy, Penchalaiah, Ramachandraiah, Rajagopal Reddy and Registrar K. Chandraiah.
Immense capacity
The campus has tremendous scope for generating solar energy as it receives plentiful sunshine throughout the year, with 3,000 hours of it. Panels have been set up on afive-acre land.
The plant area is divided into four different blocks, 250 kWh electricity will be generated from the roof tops of the Sir C.V. Raman building, the central library and administrative buildings, while the remaining 700 kWh will be generated from ground-mounted photovoltaic cells.
“The commissioning of the solar electric power plant will fulfil the growing academic and research needs of the university,” said Mr. Reddy. The power generated will be consumed at the rate of ₹6.40, which is much cheaper than the ₹7.72 the university pays to the AP Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL). The saving of ₹1.32 a unit, considering the 1.5 lakh units generated by the plant, reduces the burden on the exchequer by ₹22.57 lakh per annum. “All these benefits are achieved at no additional financial commitment of the university and no utilisation of usable space on the campus,” added Mr. Reddy. The installation of solar panels over the rooftops also helps deflect heat and brings down the room temperature by 2-4 degrees Celsius.
Multiple benefits
On the environmental front, the estimated reduction of carbon footprint owing to the initiative is 1,160 tonne a year., while the solar panels are expected to provide shelter to a number of birds, adding to the rich biodiversity on the campus, he said.