The sun will soon begin to illuminate a few government hospitals in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, thanks to the solar power initiatives taken by the New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) with the active support of the Central and state governments.
As part of promoting non-conventional energy, governments would provide funds to install solar power equipment soon in the city government hospitals like Osmania, Gandhi, Fever and Niloufer Hospitals with a main objective to reduce pressure on conventional sources of energy.
Speaking to Express, NREDCAP managing director M Kamalakar Babu said that in Osmania General Hospital, solar power equipment generating 500 and 400 kw would be installed while 500 kw in Gandhi Hospital, 100 kw in Fever Hospital and 150 kw in Niloufer Hospital would be installed. Solar photovoltaic devices will be installed not only for lighting requirements but also for other medical uses.
The decision to install solar power equipment in these government hospitals was taken due to heavy consumption of power as thousands of patients keep thronging to these hospitals from various parts of the state for medical treatment on daily basis. As there is a huge gap between demand and supply, generating solar energy will be very useful, with about 300 sunny days in a year, Babu said.
The hospitals will not be completely dependent on the solar power, as the regular supply through power discoms will still be there. As long as the sun lasts, the supply will be through solar panels, after which a battery backup of four to eight hours would still be there to face emergency blackouts, he added.
Other major government hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) will be provided with solar power equipment soon. There are similar proposals to install solar equipment in Social and BC Welfare hostels as well as in Rajiv Vidya Mission and Kasturba Gandhi Balika hostels. Proposals have been sent to the government for getting the nod. The government is keen on promoting solar power and NREDCAP is focussing on promotion of energy conservation in a big way, he added.
The NREDCAP has also conducted energy audit of various government buildings for arriving at the power requirements and the equipment needed. Proposals have been sent for the sanction of 30 per cent Central government subsidy on the solar energy equipment as applicable to government buildings, Babu said.