Osmania University to Go Solar to Save Monthly Bills

It would cost about Rs 5 crore to set up the infrastructure for a solar power plant to generated one MW power. There is enough land on the campus and we will make use of it to set up the solar power plant

To curtail the monthly bills on their power, Osmania University is set to go solar to meet its energy needs across the campus. The University pays more than Rs 90 lakh a month as its power bill. However, University is now mulling to set up a solar plant of 5 MW for its energy needs.

According to Osmania University vice-chancellor, Prof S Ramachandram, it would cost about Rs 5 crore to set up the infrastructure for a solar power plant to generated one MW power. There is enough land on the campus and we will make use of it to set up the solar power plant,” he said.

The university wants to start the work on the projects immediately thus would make the use of funds of Rashtriya Uchchatar Siksha Abhiyan given by the Union HRD ministry which comes under the centrally-sponsored schemes. The university has already submitted the plan to the center for funding for the initial 1 MW solar power plant.

Osmania University is in the race to get the ‘institute of eminence’ tag which will enable it to tap funds from the Union HRD ministry. The University Grants Commission will identity 10 public and 10 private institutions and declare them as institutes of eminence so they develop into world-class institutions. Every ‘institute of eminence’ will be eligible for Rs 1,000 crore.

The University which has sought to be included, listed out programmes it would start and infrastructure it would build. The university had also explained its plans for setting up solar power plants. “As of now we have some solar power plants on rooftops of some buildings,” the V-C said.

Source: ET