Vadodara Hospital Installs World’s Largest Solar Concentrator

Cancer hospital in Gujarat installs world's largest solar concentrator

Gujarat continues to have a super solar run and in a new development, the world’s largest solar concentrator has come up in the state. As per reports, the Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Centre situated at Muni Seva Ashram in Goraj has installed the solar concentrator which is being claimed to be the biggest in the world right now. Muni Seva Ashram has employed solar energy since 1984.

The technology has been installed by Australia National University and Sunrise CSP Australia. The solar concentrator is called Bigdish. The objective of setting up the solar concentrator is to generate enough steam that will help the hospital cook 2,000 meals every day. It will also enable handling laundry and sterilization for the hospital. Sunrise CSP Australia is a start-up.

According to one of the trustees of the Muni Seva Ashram, Deepak Gadhia, the solar steam produced by the concentrator will also reduce electricity bills of the hospital as it will power 1,000 tonnes of air-conditioning in the hospital. With a 400-bed capacity, Kailash Cancer Hospital and Research Centre is ranked fifth in the world for cancer radiotherapy.

The solar concentrator was inaugurated by Dr Janak Palta McGilligan, the director of Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development.

Deepak Gadhia, Chairman of Sunrise CSP India, said that the solar concentration technology can be employed in thermochemistry and material processing purposes.

Gadhia held, “The otherwise commonly known photovoltaic solar panels can convert only 20% of the sunlight falling on them into usable energy in the form of electricity whereas through this solar concentrator technology, we are able to use 90% of the sunlight that falls on the reflector of the solar concentrator.”

The solar concentration technology is at a nascent stage in India. Recently, state owned Engineers India (EIL) invited bids from domestic and foreign players for the supply of Concentrated Solar Technology (CST) systems for balance of project services.