Rooftop solar plant to make Jaipur metro stations self sufficient
Going green in its second year of operations, Jaipur Metro has decided to set up rooftop solar panels at eight elevated stations on its 9.25-km-long corridor between Mansarovar and Chandpole. The power generated by 2,500-kwp ‘Rooftop Solar Power Plant’ will be used to meet all the requirements at the stations in day time and would reduce its dependence on non-renewable sources. This will be the biggest solar plant, which will be installed on any of the government building. “For all Metro operations, approximately 11 lakh units are required . The plant will produce 2.5 lakh units which will meet all the requirement of the stations in day time,” said JMRC director (operations) C S Jeengar.
Earlier, the JMRC has proposed to install 1,000-kwp ‘Rooftop Solar Power Plant’. However, proposal was recently forwarded by JMRC to the Centre to install the solar plant of higher capacity. The Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited will finalise a firm which will sign a power purchase agreement with JMRC. The appointed firm will install the rooftop solar panels which will maintain it for next 25 years. “The JMRC has requested the Centre to install 2,500-kwp ‘Rooftop Solar Power Plant’ under its scheme. We have received the approval and work for installation is expected to next year,” said Jeengar. The expenditure cost of the plant will be Rs 16 crore and it will be borne by the appointed firm. The plant will be set up under Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model. As per the model for the rooftop plant, the developer invests, owns and operates the plant while JMRC purchases the electricity generated through a power purchase agreement.
“The JMRC will purchase electricity for Rs 5.37 per unit for next 25 years. At present, the electricity consumption of one Metro station is approximately 1,200 units per day. The rooftop solar panels will generate electricity to cater all the requirement during day time.” The Jaipur Metro would be the first department in the state to install rooftop solar panels under Centre government’s ambitious scheme. Central government has set a target for installation of one lakh megawatt (MW) solar power plants by 2022. Out of this, about 40,000 MW has to come from grid connected solar rooftops systems. Centre wants Rajasthan to play an active role in installing solar rooftops systems. Since the announcement of the target in 2014, Rajasthan was among the pioneer states to have released net metering (two-directional energy meter) policy. But the response of discoms and consumers has been lukewarm due to the high set-up cost.
Source:ETIE
