Greater Noida: All new constructions in Greater Noida will soon have to mandatorily install solar panels to meet at least 10% of their electricity requirement.
In a move aimed towards meeting the guidelines of the Smart Cities Mission, the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) is promoting the use of renewable energy to supplement electricity supply in the city. Solar panels will also be installed at the Authority office and other government buildings. NMRC metro stations have already installed solar panels.
“We are in the process of surveying the projects to decide how this will be implemented. We will gradually phase in the use of solar energy. Initially, we will make this provision mandatory for larger commercial or industrial units that are being established,” said Narendra Bhooshan, the CEO of GNIDA.
Officials said that private developers will be asked to mandatorily set up solar panels, which will be checked before approving the layout maps. The requirement will be inserted in the building bylaws and will be discussed during the board meeting by the end of the year.
“We will initially test at the GNIDA office building if 10% of the total electricity demand can be substituted by solar energy. It is the most viable renewable or non-conventional energy that can be successfully generated in Greater Noida. Any other source is not successful here with the kind of wind speed we have,” said Bhooshan.
He added that GNIDA is also working on meeting 100% water and power requirement of the city, which is one of the main provisions of the Smart City initiative. The authority has also started a study to introduce smart water meters to improve supply and reduce wastage. Officials said that smart meters are sensor-based and allow identification of the exact spot in water pipelines where there is leakage or drop in pressure.
“These initiatives are a step towards environment conservation with utilisation of natural resources and reducing wastage. We have committed to the chief minister that we will transform Greater Noida into a smart city and are exploring all areas where we can make necessary changes,” said Bhooshan.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes
