Odisha: NIT Rourkela to install solar panels to meet power needs

Rourkela: Odisha’s premier technical education institute – National Institute of Technology (NIT) – in the Steel City has decided to use renewable source of energy in the form of solar power.

The institute signed an agreement to execute the plans for rooftop installations.

The Chief Executive Officer of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) Deepak Chattraj laid the foundation stone for 1020 kWp rooftop solar power plant in the campus today in the presence of the director of NITR professor Animesh Biswas.

Speaking to media director professor Biswas said, “NIT Rourkela has executed a power purchase agreement with M/S Azure Power Rooftop private limited for installation and operation of the solar photovoltaic power plant of capacity of 1020 kWp. This plant will provide power for a term of 25 years at the rate lower than grid rates without any capital expenditure from the consumer. It will provide clean and noiseless power for several years. It will reduce diesel consumption used in DG sets”, said the director.

“Solar energy has now proved to be beneficial for the environment. Importantly, solar energy is truly renewable energy source. In this way, NITR will promote solar energy”, informed director Biswas.

Gracing the event CEO of RSP said, “I really appreciate NIT Rourkela’s effort. I must congratulate the whole team for taking the great initiative. Solar power is the key to a clean energy future. Every day, the sun gives off far more energy than we need to power everything on earth.”

Speaking on this occasion the Registrar of NIT Rourkela professor Pradip Das informed, “In the first phase 200 units of lamp post will be set up for street lights. We want the street lights of NITR to run by solar energy”.

The chairman of Solar PV power Generation Committee professor Bidyadhar Subudhi said that the photovoltaic technology provides an environmentally benign source of power and use recyclable structural materials that result in savings of 33 thousands tons of CO2 per 1 MWp solar PV installed. This equals to carbon savings from 2,000 acres of mature trees over a period of 25 years.

For now, NITR implemented the grid-connected rooftop solar system of the total capacity of 1020.83 kWp in total 13 buildings including old mechanical department, lecture assembly, TIIR building, institute’s main building, Ceramic Department, new mechanical science, and computer science department.