This Planet-Friendly Move Will Help A Mumbai Housing Society Save Over 10 Lakhs a Year!
Bhoomi Green CHS Limited has installed over 200 solar panels stretching over eight buildings and covering 256 flats!
Shifting from conventional sources of energy to solar power seems to be a growing trend among Mumbai housing societies!
Bhoomi Green CHS Limited, a housing society in Borivali East, has joined the bandwagon to go green by installing solar panels in December 2017 on eight buildings covering 256 flats.
The 74 kWp (Kilowatt-power) installation will now collectively save them Rs 97,000 per month, which is Rs 11.7 lakh per year!
It will help power common areas of the building, the houses, water pumps, as well as elevators.
Jayashree Mahajan, who is a member of the managing committee and was also the head of the green energy project told Hindustan Times, “We were ready to take this, as it is cost-effective and promotes green energy. For a large society, it is a massive solution to the city’s ever-increasing pollution problem.”
The air quality in the metropolitan city has been under scrutiny for quite some time. According to NDTV, it had breached the ‘severe’ levels earlier this month, engulfing Mumbai in a thick haze.
Decisions by housing societies to go green in electricity consumption by replacing the use of coal, gas and oil with a free and renewable source of energy. “Energy consumption in cities is responsible for creating a lot of pressure on the environment. The only solution is turning towards a more sustainable way of life,” said Jayshree.
According to HT, the number of solar panels installed, and energy generated is equivalent to planting 3641 fully grown teak trees.
A solar rooftop carbon calculator by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) estimated that the 74 kW system would keep 2276 tons of carbon getting released into the air over ten years!
A significant amount of money was spent on the installation, but residents see it as a worthy one-time investment. A government subsidy for the installation fast-tracked the funds. Samant, a resident of the society, told EQ International, “We spent around Rs 47 lakhs including the cost of the solar panels as well as other small construction that was required. Quick subsidy from the MNRE is proving to be a major incentive for buildings looking to go solar.”
A net-metering system will help the extra power generated to be given back to the grid, and the society will be charged only for the ‘net usage’ at the end of each financial year.
Source: thebetterindia
