Friday’s commissioning of roof-top solar panels at the Ernakulam Town Hall proves a landmark in Cochin Smart Mission Limited’s ₹5.80-crore initiative to generate 1,000 KW power from solar panels erected over 28 government buildings in the city and West Kochi.

The panels atop the Town Hall, inaugurated by Mayor Soumini Jain, will generate 80 KW of power, the largest-capacity individual solar plant as part of the project.

The roof-top solar project was conceived by CSML to use renewable energy as a major energy source for the city (with 10% total energy requirement from solar power) in line with government policy and guidelines. The panels on government buildings will generate between 20 KW and 80 KW of power. The average energy production per day over a year is expected to be 4,000 units once the 1,000KW installation is ready. The surplus energy, if any, can be exported to the KSEB grid, CSML sources said.

The average per-day production from the panels atop the Town Hall will be 320 units, and the monthly production 9,600 units, provided climatic conditions are favourable. The excess energy from the panels can be wheeled into other buildings of the corporation to lessen the electricity bill. Of the 28 buildings proposed, CSML has so far commissioned panels atop 21 buildings, including the Town Hall. Energisation certificates for four more sites have been obtained, and they will be readied for commissioning in a week.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is engaged in installing the panels and will also ensure their upkeep for five years. The panels will be erected in proportion to the area and the capacity of the roof. They face the north-south direction to capture maximum energy, from morning to evening, the sources added.