Moil office taps solar power, to save Rs10 lakh annually
Manganese Ore India Limited (Moil), a Miniratna public sector enterprise headquartered in the city, has commissioned a 48KW capacity grid-connected rooftop solar system with net-metering. This is expected to bring in a saving of Rs10 lakh annually for MOIL which has become the first corporate in the region to tap unconventional power at such a scale.The solar power generation system was inaugurated at MOIL Bhavan on Residency Road by outgoing chairman-cum-managing director GP Kundargi. Kundargi, who attained superannuation on August 31, handed over charge to Mukund Chaudhary.
The total estimated annual generation if the solar system shall be 71,000 kWh and the project is in line with government’s policy to promote non-conventional energy. By installing rooftop solar power plant, it will reduce dependency on fossil fuels and cut carbon emission. MOIL has successfully commissioned the project with cooperation of MEDA and SNDL.In his farewell interaction with media persons, Kundargi said Moil was all set to enhance production of manganese ore up to 2.5 million tonnes by 2020-21, doubling the current capacity. This will be made possible by opening of a new mine and also mechanization of a few of its 10 existing mines. At present, Moil meets 50% of manganese ore demand of the country.
“The company has already taken up development projects like installing two new vertical shafts at Mansar and Ukwa mines. Deepening of the existing shafts has also been undertaken in Balaghat and Kandri mines,” Kundargi said. He said the company has plans to ramp up non-conventional power generation through solar and wind power.On the welfare front, Moil takes care of miners’ health by conducting different projects and workshops. “We are planning to work with National Institute of Miners Health (NIMH) for better health of miners. For waste management at mines, we are taking help of NEERI and VNIT,” he said.
To realize future needs to expand, Kundargi worked with the Union government as well as state governments of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to reserve over 1,300 hectares of mining land on lease. For the first time since Moil’s inception, a new mine is to open soon at Parsoda in Ramtek taluka of Nagpur district for which vital clearances and mining licence have been obtained.
Source:TOI
