Solar City project starts in Amritsar
The Punjab government has launched phase-I of a project to develop Amritsar as a solar city in order to reduce the state’s reliance on expensive conventional power and promote solar energy.
M P Singh, director of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), said that solar roofing with a total capacity of 2.33 megawatts (MW) will be put on 190 government buildings identified through a complete assessment using drones.
Rooftop solar systems will be installed in 74 buildings during phase-I of the project, for which bidding has begun.
The Punjab Department of New and Renewable Energy Sources unveiled the decision support tool (DST), as well as the Amritsar Smart City online and the Punjab Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) online.
A state energy action plan was also developed to promote energy efficiency in sectors such as construction, industry, municipalities, agriculture, and transportation. The energy action plan is intended to assist state departments in developing the most sustainable, long-term, and cross-sectoral renewable energy strategy.
Mr. Venu Prasad, additional chief secretary of the renewable energy sources department, stated that the state energy action plan will aid in the achievement of net zero emissions targets in many industries.
He asked all departments to come forward to equip their office buildings with solar panels to decarbonize the power sector, which will help them reduce their power consumption charges by 25% to 30%. He emphasised the importance of fast-tracking implementation of the action plan and reviewing progress quarterly. PEDA has also signed a memorandum of understanding with GIZ, a German government-owned international company, for the implementation of the IGEN Access to Energy programme, which is sponsored by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.
What is a Solar City?
Solar City focuses on the implementation of renewable energy projects in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption and meet the city/town’s rapidly rising electricity demand through renewable energy projects/systems/devices such as solar PV systems, kitchen waste-based plants, solar water heating systems, solar cooking systems, solar steam generating/drying/air heating systems, and solar concentrators. Solar, wind, biomass, small hydro, waste to energy, and other renewable energy projects, as well as energy efficiency measures, may be installed in a Solar City, depending on the city’s need and resource availability.