GUWAHATI, Aug 30 – Governor Banwarilal Purohit along with Science and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta inaugurated a 30 KW grid interactive solar power plant under the Renewable Energy Project at the Raj Bhavan today. In his inaugural speech, the Governor said solar energy is considered to be the best option for the people and the exceedingly increasing energy requirements of modern-day life, as it belongs to the renewable category. The disappearance of fossil fuels from the planet and their rising costs have forced countries to switch over to a sustainable energy source, he added.
The sun is the biggest energy supplier and is fully capable of meeting the energy needs of earth in the distant future. Solar energy is the only alternative energy for the country, the Governor said. Purohit also asked the Assam Energy Development Agency (AEDA) officials to look into the possibility of providing LED-based solar lanterns in the streets where there is no access to power. Even in the un-electrified villages, LED-based solar study lamps would be a good alternative. He further asked the AEDA officials to make the technology available to every household to help them reduce the energy expenditure to a great extent and help the country to switch over to clean and renewable energy. It may be noted that the Renewable Energy Project at the Raj Bhavan, Assam was sanctioned to the AEDA by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) Government of India under its Special Area Demonstration Project Scheme. The objective of the scheme is demonstration of application of various renewable energy systems in a project mode with 100 per cent funding from the Ministry to create greater awareness about renewable sources of energy and to supplement the energy requirement.
The project was first initiated by the then President of India in 2008 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, with the aim to reduce carbon footprints wherever possible, to undertake comprehensive measures for conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and for adopting eco-friendly practices in day-to-day life as part of the programme ‘Roshni’.
Minister Mahanta said the AEDA is going to launch a programme for rooftop solar project to harness the abundant power of the sun. He said by December 31 this year, 14 mega watt of power in the social sector of Assam is going to be installed and it will be grid connected. Mahanta also said that Assam has huge potential for renewable energy and by using the renewable energy sources, electricity can be provided to all. There are many remote areas not connected by electricity grid and by harnessing energy tapped from the sun, all the remote areas can be brought under light, Mahanta added. It may also be mentioned that under the project, different renewable energy systems have been installed and commissioned at the Raj Bhavan here, like 30 KWp grid interactive solar PV power plant, solar water heating systems, 6 KWp solar wind hybrid aero generator and LED garden lights and LED streetlights.
Source:AssamTribune
