Pune Smart City partners with Savitribai Phule Pune University to make it a ‘smart’ solar university
Updated: Apr 05, 2018 17:21 IST
Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL), in partnership with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), are deploying roof-top solar panels to make the university a smart solar university. SPPU and Smart City corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four empaneled firms in the solar energy space. Kiran Deshpande, energy science department, signed on behalf of the University.
SPPU has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Cleanmax Enviro Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd (Developer) and one of the firms with which Smart City corporation has signed a MoU to set up a solar rooftop plant on 14 of its buildings.
The project is conceptualised as a part of the scheme launched by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to enable government agencies to embrace non-renewable energy in its campuses and offices. The project of around 602 KwH (kilo watts per hour) will be commissioned under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model of Solar Energy Corporation of India and the power purchase agreement was signed on March 27, 2018.
Vice-chancellor, SPPU, Nitin Karmalkar, said, “By going solar, it will reduce the carbon footprint substantially. We had done a lot of research on this and we had also received a UGC grant of Rs 3 crore when we were approached by Smart City group who suggested to let them do it. Now the UGC grant will be used for waste water treatment plant that SPPU plans to begin. We will be covering a majority of departments under the University and will finish the work within a month of installing the solar panels.”
CEO, Pune Smart City, Rajendra Jagtap, said, “In our mission to make the University smart, we are looking forward to take more initiatives in this direction and these baby steps will be replicated further in making Pune a Smart Solar city.”
This one-of-a-kind project in Pune, is being undertaken at no cost to SPPU, wherein the developer will set up the entire project bearing a cost of Rs 3.2 crore and will operate and maintain the project for a period of 25 years.
The project will generate up to 600 kWh of clean energy, equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of SPPU’s total monthly energy consumption. For this energy, SPPU will pay a subsidised tariff of Rs 3.62 per unit for the next 25 years.
Source : Hindustan Times
