Indore (Madhya Pradesh): On the occasion of International Sun Day, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Smart City Indore Development Ltd on Wednesday released their roadmap for making Indore a Solar City stating that the plan is to shift nearly 50 per cent of the electricity consumed by the city onto solar energy in next four years.
“The city consumes around 600 MW of electricity daily. Our plan is to ensure that nearly 300 MW of the total consumption is generated through solar energy by May 2027,” said Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav while addressing a conference on “Making Indore a Solar City.
He said that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had suggested them to make Indore a solar city as it potential and capability.
“Going by the suggestion of the CM, we have started efforts to become a solar city. This fiscal, we have made budgetary provision also for making Indore a solar city,” he said.
“The Mayor said that they would do whatever it takes to make solar city. First, we will ensure that all government buildings in the city install solar panels for meeting their power needs. Then, we will approach people and ask them to install rooftop solar panels on their residential buildings,” he said.
The Mayor said that changes in building permission bylaws would also be made for giving rebate on installation of solar panels in buildings.
MP Shankar Lalwani said that it is important to shit our energy requirements onto renewable sources of energy and solar energy is perhaps the best option for it. He stated that the roadmap prepared by Smart City Indore Development Limited for producing 300 MW daily in by 2027 is achievable.
Stating that Indore Development Authority would do its bit to contribute to the solar city project, its Jaypal Singh Chawda said they were making Start-up Park on 21 acres of land which will meet most of its electricity needs through solar energy.
Municipal Commissioner Harshita Singh said that Indore city has always traded a path not walked by others and it has also been the torch-bearer for the entire country in various trends. “India’s journey towards solar city would also be an example I am sure to the various other cities to emulate in years to come,” she added.
Collector Ilayaraja T, IMC chairman Munna Lal Yadav, and solar energy experts also were present at the conference.
Can generate 200 MW using just 20% of optional open space: Smart City CEO
Stating they had planned to produce 200 MW power in first phase, Smart City Indore CEO Divyang Singh said that the city requires 26.22 lakh sqm of space for installation of solar panels for producing 200 MW of solar power. “Through GIS mapping when he scanned the city, we got a total of 125 lakh sqm open space, including include space of terraces. If we use just 20 per cent of available open space, our target is easily met,” he said.
“Banks should give loans for solar panels”
Industrials, representatives from various Rahwasi Sangs and others were also present at the seminar. Pithampur Audhyogik Sangathan president Gautam Kothari said district administration should talk to banks so that people and others can get loans for installation of solar panels. “Banks give loans for home appliances but not for solar panels,” he added. Resident Amit Dubey, who had installed solar panels at his house two years ago, said that there should be a cell listening to grievances of the solar power users.
Solar power system has fluctuation issue: IIT-I prof
IIT Indore association professor Dr Ishwar Prasad Korimilli said that those have solar system at their houses experience rapid fluctuation. “Smart inventor should be attached the solar system for checking the issue,” he said. Korimilli said that around 10000 liter of water go to waste in cleaning solar panels.
Solutions to such issues are required to be found out, he added.
West Discom chief engineer SL Karwadiya shared information on subsidy on solar power system installation. Bating for solar energy, he stated that mere 100 sq ft space is required for installation on solar panels for generating 1 KW power.
Roadmap9 to 300 MW
Time Capacity
May 3, 2023 40 MW (Existing solar installation)
May 3, 2024 90 MW (Total solar installation)
May 3, 2025 200 MW (Including 60 MW solar plant at Jalud)
May 7, 2026 250 MW (City’s capacity + Jalud plant)
May 3, 2027 300 MW (City’s capacity + Jalud plant)
