Naval Institution in Kochi Commissions Solar Plant

The solar plant is expected to generate close to 14,400 units of energy every year.

The Naval Armament Inspectorate (NAI) in Kochi has taken a big step on the green route by harnessing solar power to meet its supplemental energy requirements. 

Director General of Naval Armament Inspection (DGNAI) Rear Admiral Sanjay Misra inaugurated the rooftop solar power plant at NAI, a Defence spokesman said here. The green initiative is also aimed at protecting the environment, he added.

According to him, operationalisation of the solar power plant, which is expected to generate close to 14,400 units of energy every year, will decrease energy costs and at the same time help in decreasing the establishment’s carbon footprint and increase the energy efficiency. 

The plant will power the 24×7 multimodal biometric access control, Video Surveillance and Aadhar Based Biometric Attendance System, amongst other equipment fitted at NAI (Kochi) and is one of several green initiatives being undertaken by units under the Southern Naval Command.

Elsewhere, The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has invited online bids for setting up of solar plants worth 2 MW in Jammu and Kashmir. This is now the fourth notification in three months by the nodal agency for setting up of solar plants at army posts in Jammu and Kashmir, but it is yet to issue a tender or RfS.

The solar projects will be developed at two army posts in the state, 1 MW each at the army post in Siachen and an army post in Partapur.

SECI first issued a notification for the projects in February but has since only followed it up with three more notifications for selection of solar power developers.

Recently, the nodal agency for renewable adoption ion the country had issued another NIT for setting up of 14 MW solar PV power plant with linked 42 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at two locations in Jammu and Kashmir. The two systems (each 7 MW solar plant with 21 MWh BESS facility) will be developed at the Leh and Kargil divisions of the state.