Surat to Have 25 MW Solar Capacity by February 2019

During phase one, the city administration had received 4500 applications from the residents and commercial establishment.

Aiming to become the first solar city of India, Surat is poised to have 25 MW installed capacity by February 2019.

Currently having 15 MW of installed capacity, the city tops the solar energy generation chart.

A total of 4000 solar panels of various capacities are installed in the city giving the output of 15 MW of electricity.

During phase one, the city administration had received 4500 applications from the residents and commercial establishment.

The phase one of solar rooftop scheme ended on September 24 and on the same day phase two started which will go on for a full year.

“The second phase will help add another 10MW in the installed capacity of solar power to take it up to 25MW,” said KH Khatwani, additional city engineer, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).

In a bid to promote the use of solar energy, the ministry of new and renewable energy has started further subsidising solar panels. Where 1KV solar panel used to cost Rs 69,000 prior to 24 September, now the same costs Rs 48,300.

“The rate of conventional energy has gone up by 3 to 5 per cent while the cost of solar panel has fallen. This may encourage people to install solar panels on their rooftops which will bring down their energy cost by at least 50 per cent in future,” Khatwani added.

A survey carried out by the Energy and Resources Institute estimated that the potential to generate solar electricity from rooftops in Surat is about 418 MW. Surat is expecting to generate a total of 50 MW solar energy by September 2019.

Source: TNN