KOCHI: After hosting several IT innovations, now it is the turn of Infopark to turn ‘green’ by tapping renewable energy. Authorities will soon install a solar plant atop the building of Infopark phase 2 at the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kakkanad. Infopark CEO Hrishikesh Nair told Express as part of the government initiative to turn IT parks into green campuses, initiatives like solar power plants are being introduced. Besides, they will also feature rain water harvesting plants and eco-friendly waste disposal system. “As part of it, the 500 KW solar power plant will be first installed at phase-2. Around 2,500 square feet has been identified for the plant. After Infopark, another solar plant will be introduced at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said. The tender proceedings for installing and maintaining the plant have been initiated.
“The electricity from the plant will help light up common spaces, including streets and parking spaces. Even though it will be a small power plant, it has its own relevance as we can turn a portion of our space into an eco-friendly energy generating unit,” Hrishikesh said. As per the tender documents, the power plant will be installed with a fund of Rs 3.5 crore. The work will be completed within 5 months after the tender is allocated. The self-generation of electricity and connection to the grid will enable Infopark to save a good sum each year. Kochi Metro recently installed solar plants at 11 stations generating around 2.15 MW to meet the power requirement up to 17 per cent. Similarly, KMRL is also planning to set up a solar power plant in its Muttom yard. Last year, Cochin International Airport became the first airport in the world to be fully powered by solar electricity. Its plant generates around 13.1 MW.
Source:IndianExpress
